In disturbing news, the Lebanese military has disclosed that it has found four tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the Port of Beirut just one month after another ammonium nitrate explosion devastated the city. The revelation comes as yet another fire took hold in the port on Friday, though the two incidents are not connected.
The military stated that it had found 4.35 tonnes of the material and that it did not know the origin or ownership of the chemical. Ammonium nitrate is usually used as a fertiliser but stored in the wrong conditions or intentionally modified it can cause extremely powerful explosions. Terrorist groups worldwide have used the chemical in the past.
The blaze that broke out in the port on Friday caused thousands living in Beirut, still traumatised after last month's explosion, to flee the city. One resident, Majed Hassanein, told BBC news:
"I am forced to get them out of Beirut from the smoke and the fire that is happening at the port again."
While another, Andre Muarbes, added:
"For sure we were scared... it's only been a month since the explosion that destroyed Beirut. We saw the same thing happening again."
BREAKING: #Beirut port on fire, barely a month after deadly explosion. Reports suggest it’s emanating from oil and tyre storage, not much else info. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/3uY8j9AdDA
— Richard Medhurst 🇸🇾🇵🇸 (@richimedhurst) September 10, 2020
This is scary! This is the 3rd fire to happen following the explosion.
— #RebuildBeirut (@LebaneseProblem) September 10, 2020
Not sure if negligence or evidence being destroyed. We need updates!#Lebanon #Beirut pic.twitter.com/lYOY6hbWVd
One month ago, just 3 tonnes of poorly stored ammonium nitrate exploded after a fire in the port. That blast killed 190 people and caused billions of dollars-worth of damage. It was so loud that it could be heard 200km away in Cyprus and left a 140 foot crater, flattening buildings in the immediate vicinity. Thousands also received minor injuries while as many as 300,000 were made temporarily homeless. It is believed that the blast had around 10% of the power of the atomic bomb that landed on Hiroshima in 1945.
Since the explosion, dozens of Lebanese port officials have been placed under house arrest as the incident is investigated.
The fact that this new batch of poorly stored ammonium nitrate is even larger than the one that exploded a month ago, and the fact that another fire has been allowed to break out in the port area, will send a shiver down the spine of all Beirut citizens and increase pressure on the government to guarantee their safety going forward.
Beirut was suffering from a huge economic crisis before the explosion and before the recent pandemic, leading some to speculate that budget cuts to health and safety monitors were in part to blame for the explosion and the ongoing safety concerns.
COMMENTS