Only on the day after the massive blast left much of the capital in ruins did the government say it was seeking house arrest for all officials involved in storing the highly-explosive substance. He said five similar letters were sent in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2013, ammonium nitrate caused a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. The explosions are suspected to be the result of ammonium nitrate catching fire. ANFO (or AN/FO, for ammonium nitrate/fuel oil) is a widely used bulk industrial explosive.Its name is commonly pronounced as "an-fo". Aluminium nitrate is a strong oxidizing agent. Sci. With that, here's the answer to the question people around the world – and especially in Lebanon – are asking themselves: Why does it explode? He said what has happened shows "the extent of corruption in Lebanese port customs, which is among the main bodies that bear responsibility" for the blast. Ammonium nitrate is a crystal-like white solid which is made in large industrial quantities. Gradually, amid panic, victims flooding overcrowded hospitals, wounded bodies having to walk kilometers before reaching a medical center, and ruins across kilometers on end, the most absurd of all scenarios prevailed. A "colossal" explosion that rocked the port area of Lebanon's capital on Tuesday, killing dozens and injuring thousands, happened at a warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate was being stored, the country's prime minister said. There was a blast in a port in Beirut on August 04 and the reason for this has been attributed to the presence of aluminium nitrate in one of the warehouses in the area. Only small amounts of contaminants are required to act as a catalyst, explaining the unpredictability of AN under fire conditions. ... Christodoulides said private companies have responded to an appeal to provide quantities of aluminium and glass that Lebanon needs to rebuild. Ammonium nitrate, which Lebanese authorities have said caused the devastating Beirut explosions, is an odorless crystalline substance commonly used … For at least six years, hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which Lebanese authorities say caused Tuesday's massive blast, were negligently stored in a … The ammonium nitrate had reportedly been unloaded from a ship impounded at the port in 2013, and then stored in a warehouse there. The National Mall will close through Jan. 21 amid anticipation of possible violence this weekend and at the presidential inauguration, Reporter reflects on burying a dog that made 'dystopia more bearable'. Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest. ... We ran to the Red Cross center nearby. The letter proposed the material be exported or sold to a Lebanese explosives company. An official letter surfaced online showing that the head of the customs department had warned repeatedly for years that a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate stored in a hangar in the port was a danger and asked for a way to remove it, according to The Associated Press. Lebanon blast: Ammonium nitrate behind many industrial accidents When combined with fuel and oil, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the construction industry. Literature References. Ammonium nitrate was used in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, when a truck bomb containing 2.4 tons of fertilizer and fuel oil killed 168 people in a federal building. All high thickness aluminium 5754 are tested with ultrasonic equipment to ensure no cracks or impurities. The head of Lebanon’s customs department says one of the country's main security agencies reported to the Cabinet in the past year about the danger from explosive chemicals being stored at … Badri Daher told The Associated Press on Thursday that State Security had been investigating the stockpile of ammonium nitrate for the past year. What is ammonium nitrate? But what caused the Beirut explosion? Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a red, bad-smelling gas . Chemical Product and Company Identification Product Name : Sodium nitrate Catalog Codes : SLS1102, SLS3946, SLS1726 CAS# : 7631-99-4 RTECS : WC5600000 TSCA : TSCA 8(b) inventory: Sodium nitrate CI# : Not available. The blast took lives of more than 150 people whereas around 5000 people were injured because of … "I cannot describe the damage I saw.". ", ON THE GROUND: Reporter reflects on burying a dog that made 'dystopia more bearable'. But what caused the Beirut explosion? and China. Metline is a renowned global distributor with large stocks of 5754 aluminium block and 5754 grade cut to size aluminium block profiles. An Instagram page called “Locating Victims Beirut” shows photos of missing people, and the names of the missing or wounded were read on the radio Tuesday night. ... it confirmed that an additional 4.35 tonnes of aluminum nitrate was discovered outside the entrance to the port and that army engineers are “dealing” with the materials. It’s not hard to imagine the aluminium nitrate being deposited there by Iran (with a nod from the Lebanese) for use by Hezbollah. "Upon inspection of the vessel by port state control, the vessel was forbidden from sailing," the firm said in a statement. . Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. These are the survivors. Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest. Aluminium nitrate trade is common in places like Singapore, U.A.E. If, as seems to be the case, the Beirut explosion was caused by thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse, the blast demonstrates the deadly potential of this common agricultural chemical. Ammonium nitrate was used in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, when a truck bomb containing 2.4 tons of fertilizer and fuel oil killed 168 people in a federal building. The government declared a two-week state of emergency, effectively giving the military full powers during this time, and announced it was launching an investigation into ammonium nitrate stored at the port where the blast originated. Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate is employed in uranium extraction and nucleonics. According to a report by Al Jazeera, Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosion was fueled by a stockpile of over 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate, confiscated and … In Beirut’s hard-hit Achrafieh district, civil defense workers and soldiers worked to locate missing people and clear the rubble. Ljh August 5, 2020 at 11:31 am Ta Julia, but note the two large ships docked adjacent to the next warehouse appear intact and properly docked.. the second warehouse is flattened but not blown away. Food and water consumption and urine volume were measured daily. Relatives pleaded on social media for help. The odourless crystalline substance commonly used as a fertiliser has caused numerous industrial explosions over the decades -- including the massive one in Beirut that killed at least 113 people, wounded thousands and left 300,000 homeless. ", Videos:One explosion, seven different angles, The blast was felt as far away as Cyprus, and witnesses in the city described the aftermath as "raining glass. Riad Kobaissi, an investigative reporter who specialises in port corruption, charged that Daher was only trying to deflect blame by publishing the letter. According to emails exchanged by Prokoshev and a Beirut-based lawyer Charbel Dagher, who represented the crew in Lebanon, the ammonium nitrate was unloaded in … For at least six years, hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which Lebanese authorities say caused Tuesday's massive blast, were negligently stored in a Beirut port warehouse, waiting for disaster to strike. With Tuesday's blast damage extending across half the Lebanese capital, the burning questions on everyone's mind are: how did so much ammonium nitrate get to Beirut in the first place and why was it stored at the port for so long? "I'm not surprised it's coming from Georgia or Russia," Oxley said. She couldn't get help there, so she tried to go to nearby hospitals, but they were demolished. Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for years in a Beirut portside warehouse had … She left just as the massive, second explosion happened. That's what we initially thought ... then the second blast happened, and all the glass shattered in my house," said Hussein Al Haq, 22, who lives on the outskirts of Beirut. 9H 2 O. Security forces cordoned off the port area Wednesday as a bulldozer entered to help clear away debris. Following the blast, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that it was caused by around 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that was stored near the city’s cargo port. According to Lebanese law firm Baroudi & Associates, which represents the vessel's crew, the Rhosus ship had faced "technical problems". Food security is also a concern. It's relatively stable under most conditions and is inexpensive … The explosion had a force of at least 500 tons of TNT, according to a U.S. government source who was not authorized to speak publicly. Global production was estimated at 21.6 million tonnes in 2017. A senior U.S. Defense Department official and a member of the U.S. intelligence community told The Associated Press there were no indications the explosion was the result of an attack by either a nation state or proxy forces. . The explosion comes at a sensitive time for Lebanon, with an economic crisis reigniting old divisions as the country struggles with the coronavirus crisis. However, the government in Lebanon has so far indicated that they believe the enormous blast to have been the result of 2,700 tonnes of the chemical compound ammonium nitrate left lying in … "I felt something hit my head; next thing I know, I felt what I could describe as a warm fountain pouring from my head. Ammonium nitrate is predominantly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertiliser. Lebanon's severe economic crisis ignited mass protests in recent months. St. George University Hospital, one of the major private hospitals in Beirut that had been receiving COVID-19 patients, was out of commission Wednesday after suffering major damage. A gigantic amount of ammonium nitrate recently exploded in Beirut, killing hundreds, injuring thousands while causing catastrophic damage. The warehouse started to exude a strange odour, which led security forces to launch a 2019 investigation that concluded that the "dangerous" chemicals needed to be removed from the premises. History: Even before explosion, Lebanon teetered toward collapse. Government officials suggested public schools and hotels for those who lost their homes and promised compensation for the victims. It is not known if there was ever a response. My mother ran to me, screaming 'earthquake!' Eventually, she was helped. Aluminum is one of the most widely used metals in the world. Aluminum chloride and aluminum sulphate are manufactured in Canada, primarily for use within Canada. Process. Shortly after Tuesday's blast, the director of customs at the port, Badri Daher, published a letter he said he had sent in December 2017 to a Lebanese prosecutor, claiming it was one of many he had sent to the judiciary over the stored chemicals. Conflicting reports have emerged over what caused the deadly blasts in Beirut on Tuesday, but Lebanon’s interior minister said that ammonium nitrate was at But authorities did not heed the warning. Notes. Several countries pledged aid in the aftermath of the blast, and even Israel offered humanitarian assistance. International aluminium nitrate chemical supplier and distributor by Tradeasia International. ", "The first blast happened, and the whole building shook. Aluminum. A judicial source said prosecutors were only involved in ruling whether or not the ammonium nitrate-carrying vessel should be released and were not involved in issues pertaining to the substance's storage. The colossal explosion in Lebanon’s capital this week was apparently caused when more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated. . In agriculture, ammonium nitrate fertiliser is applied in granule form and quickly dissolves under moisture, allowing nitrogen — which is key to plant growth — to be released into the soil. What is ammonium nitrate? It was not until this week that workers were dispatched and began repair works, in what might have possibly triggered the blast. The estimate was based on the widespread destruction, said the source who has experience with military explosives. The death toll is still growing, but last I saw, 135 people were reported killed and over 5,000 were injured. "I don't know how I got the energy and power to walk further with the blood flowing into my mouth and nostrils.". Ammonium Nitrate is a "low" form of High Explosive, having much of the qualities and properties of a Low Explosive but still requiring detonation to initiate it as opposed to a spark or heat for the low explosives. The ammonium nitrate — a highly explosive component of fertilizers — had been stored there since 2013 despite repeated warnings. Ammonium nitrate was the explosive material used in the roadside bombs that wounded and killed so many Israeli soldiers between the First and Second Lebanon Wars. Lebanese officials say that thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the port in Beirut caused the powerful explosion that … Aluminum nitrate, used in far lower quantities than the sulphate and chloride salts, may be used in some fertilizers and as a chemical reagent in various industries. 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