The Beirut Blast: How a Warehouse Fire Triggered One of the Largest Non-Nuclear Explosions in Histor

Описание: The Beirut Blast: How a Warehouse Fire Triggered One of the Largest Non-Nuclear Explosions in History.

On August 4, 2020, a massive explosion in the Port of Beirut ripped through Lebanon’s capital, killing at least 218 people, injuring 7,000 others, and leaving up to 300,000 displaced. The blast, which was felt as far away as Cyprus, was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, equivalent to about 1.1 kilotons of TNT. It also caused an estimated $15 billion in property damage and destroyed the port’s grain silos, which held most of the country’s cereal reserves.

The explosion was caused by the detonation of 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly unstable chemical compound that is mostly used as a fertilizer. Ammonium nitrate had been stored unsafely at a warehouse in the port since 2014, after being confiscated by Lebanese authorities from a cargo ship that had been abandoned by its owner. The explosion was preceded by a fire at the same warehouse, which ignited the ammonium nitrate. The disaster sparked public outrage and protests against the Lebanese government, which was accused of negligence and corruption for failing to prevent the catastrophe.

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