2,750 Tonnes Of Ammonium Nitrate Exploded In Beirut Killing 100, Thousands Injured

Details that have emerged after the massive explosion that rocked Beirut suggest that almost 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were stored in the Beirut port warehouse that exploded. The explosion has devastated large parts of the Lebanese capital.

"It is unacceptable that a shipment of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate has been present for six years in a warehouse, without taking preventive measures," Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab said at a defence council meeting, a spokesman told a press conference.

"It is unacceptable and we cannot remain silent on this issue," he added.

An official with the Lebanese Red Cross says at least 100 people were killed and more than 4,000 wounded in the massive explosion.

AP

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The blast in Beirut's port appeared to have been triggered by a fire. It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city, which has endured civil war, conflicts with Israel and terror attacks.

Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles, and building facades were blown out. At hospitals across the city people had been waiting all night for news of loved ones who had gone missing or were wounded. Others posted requests for help online.

AFP

It was unclear what caused the blast, which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake. It was the most powerful explosion ever seen in the city, which was on the front lines of the 1975-1990 civil war and has endured conflicts with neighboring Israel and periodic bombings and terror attacks.

Lebanon was already on the brink of collapse amid a severe economic crisis that has ignited mass protests in recent months. Its hospitals are confronting a surge in coronavirus cases, and there were concerns the virus could spread further as people flooded into hospitals.