BEIRUT EXPLOSIONS

Written by- Harleen Bhatia

WHAT HAPPENED?

This tuesday, Beirut the capital of Lebanon experienced a devastating explosion that has killed 137 people and 5,000 others estimated 300,000 people* have been homeless and dozens are missing
Ammonium nitrate was stored in the port which caused the explosion. 
The explosion released a shock waves causing widespread damage to buildings and shattered windows. 
It also appears a fire triggered this massive explosion.

Beirut explosion: Lebanon's president knew about stockpile weeks ...

WHAT IS AMMONIUM NITRATE?

Crystal like white solid commonly used as a source of nitrogen for agricultural fertilizer.
Experts say that its relatively safe when stored properly. 
After a long time, it decays.
 The real problem is that over time it will absorb little bits of moisture and it eventually turns into an enormous rock," Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at University College London, told the BBC. This makes it more dangerous because if a fire reaches it, the chemical reaction will be much more intense.

WHAT CAUSED THIS?


 Lebanon's President, Michel Aoun, blamed the detonation on 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that he said had been stored unsafely at a warehouse in the port.
A similar amount of the chemical arrived on a Moldovan-flagged cargo ship, the MV Rhosus, which docked in Beirut in 2013 after suffering technical problems while sailing from Georgia to Mozambique.
The Rhosus was inspected, banned from leaving and was shortly afterwards abandoned by its owners, according to Shiparrested.com. Its cargo was reportedly transferred to Warehouse 12 following a court order, and should have been disposed of or resold.

Source- BBC NEWS

 

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