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posted by takyon on Wednesday August 05 2020, @12:09PM   Printer-friendly

Ammonium nitrate: what is the chemical blamed for blast in Lebanese capital?

The likely cause of the huge blast in Beirut on Tuesday appears to have been the highly reactive chemical ammonium nitrate.

Lebanon's prime minister, Hassan Diab, said 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded after lying unsecured in a warehouse for six years, tallying with reports that a ship carrying a similar quantity of the chemical had unloaded its cargo at the port in 2013. It remains unclear what caused the chemical to ignite.

Ammonium nitrate.

Beirut explosion: over half the city damaged in blast that killed at least 100 and wounded 4,000 – live updates

AFP is quoting the governor of Beirut, Marwan Abboud, as saying the damage from the port blast has extended over half of the city, with the cost of damage likely above $3bn.

He has also upped his previous estimate of the number of "homeless" to 300,000, which is close to the total population of the central part of the capital. Again, we are not sure if he is talking about homelessness or people whose homes have been damaged.

As Death Toll Rises After Deadly Blast, a Search for Answers and Survivors: Live Updates

As Death Toll Rises After Deadly Blast, a Search for Answers and Survivors: Live Updates:


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  • (Score: 2) by Aegis on Wednesday August 05 2020, @02:40PM (1 child)

    by Aegis (6714) on Wednesday August 05 2020, @02:40PM (#1031727)

    Iowa in 1994:

    TERRA CHEMICAL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REPORT [epa.gov]

    At approximately 0606 hours on December 13, 1994, an explosion occurred in the ammonium
    nitrate plant at the Terra International, Inc., Port Neal Complex. Four persons were killed as a direct
    result of the explosion, and 18 were injured and required hospitalization. The explosion resulted in
    the release of approximately 5,700 tons of anhydrous ammonia to the air and secondary containment,
    approximately 25,000 gallons of nitric acid to the ground and lined chemical ditches and sumps, and
    liquid ammonium nitrate solution into secondary containment. Off site ammonia releases continued
    for approximately six days following the explosion. Chemicals released as a result of the explosion
    have resulted in contamination of the groundwater under the facility.

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  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday August 06 2020, @02:35AM

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday August 06 2020, @02:35AM (#1032095) Journal
    And the population affected by this horrible accident? They had to evacuate 1700 people!