A U.S. government assessment of last week’s devastating explosion in Beirut has reportedly concluded that maintenance work likely led to the explosion of a large cache of ammonium nitrate. It comes amid speculation over what could have triggered the deadly chemical blast which killed 171 people. Last week, security sources claimed a welder had sparked … Read more
Bags of fireworks were stored alongside highly explosive ammonium nitrate at Beirut’s port, a former worker has claimed. Yusuf Shehadi said dozens of fireworks were stored in the same hangar as thousands of tonnes of the powerful chemical compound in the port of Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, people were out hurling stones at riot police outside … Read more
Explosives and safety experts say a Beirut-style mega-blast could not happen in the UK – because of strict production and storage rules on the substance linked to the tragedy. The Health and Safety Executive said the control of Ammonium Nitrate was tightly regulated, while chemical explosive experts said it was produced to a standard that made … Read more
Ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertiliser bombs, has been identified as the cause of one of the largest ever peacetime explosions at a warehouse in Beirut. The chemical is an odourless crystalline substance that has been the cause of numerous industrial explosions and terrorist attacks over the decades. Experts say a fire in Beirut … Read more