The official story so far - from gCaptain:
Beirut Blast Blamed on Chemical Cargo Removed From Ship in 2014
The volatile chemical that Lebanese authorities blame for Tuesday’s lethal blast in Beirut had been lying in storage at the city’s port for six years in spite of warnings from customs officials about its hazards, documents show.
The ammonium nitrate arrived as cargo on the ship Rhosus in 2014, according to two letters issued by the director general of Lebanese Customs. For reasons that are unclear, dockworkers unloaded the chemical, which can be used to make fertilizers and explosives, and put it into storage.
Customs officials later asked judicial authorities at least twice to issue orders for the ammonium nitrate to be confiscated or re-exported, according to the letters. In one of the letters, dated May 3, 2016, the director general at that time, Shafik Merhe, warned of “the extreme danger” from storing the chemical in a warehouse “in these unsuitable weather conditions.” The material posed a risk to the staff and the port, he said.
Something does not ring quite right - pure ammonium nitrate does not burn very easily. It is an oxidizer and will not combust or explode unless there is a fuel present and mixed throughout. Once fuel has been mixed in, it still takes an awful lot of effort to discharge - dynamite has been used for this. An open flame is not sufficient.
The most common form of explosive is ANFO - ammonium nitrate + fuel oil. This is used for blasting. It is what was used in Oklahoma 25 years ago. Makes me wonder what the real story is...
Leave a comment