Beirut fireworks storage explodes
- Thread starter Phil C. McNasty
- Start date
As I posted, this has happened before:
The Oppau explosion occurred on September 21, 1921, when approximately 4,500 tonnes of a mixture of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate fertilizer stored in a tower silo exploded at a BASF plant in Oppau, now part of Ludwigshafen, Germany, killing 500–600 people and injuring about 2,000 more.
The plant began producing ammonium sulfate in 1911, but during World War I when Germany was unable to obtain the necessary sulfur, it began to produce ammonium nitrate as well. Ammonia could be produced without overseas resources, using the Haber process.
Compared to ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate is strongly hygroscopic, so the mixture of ammonium sulfate and nitrate clogged together under the pressure of its own weight, turning it into a plaster-like substance in the 20 m high silo. The workers needed to use pickaxes to get it out, a problematic situation because they could not enter the silo and risk being buried in collapsing fertilizer. To ease their work, small charges of dynamite were used to loosen the mixture.
This seemingly suicidal procedure was in fact common practice. It was well known that ammonium nitrate was explosive—it had been used extensively as such during World War I—but tests conducted in 1919 had seemed to indicate that mixtures of ammonium sulfate and nitrate containing less than 60% nitrate were unlikely to explode. On such grounds, the material handled by the plant, nominally a 50/50 mixture, was considered stable enough to be stored in 50,000-tonne lots—more than ten times the amount involved in the disaster. Indeed, nothing extraordinary happened during an estimated 20,000 firings, until the fateful explosion on September 21.[1]
As all involved died in the explosion, the causes are not clear. However, according to modern sources and contrary to the above-mentioned 1919 tests, the "less than 60% nitrate = safe" criterion is inaccurate; in mixtures containing 50% nitrate, any explosion of the mixture is confined to a small volume around the initiating charge, but increasing the proportion of nitrate to 55-60% significantly enhances the explosive properties and creates a mixture whose detonation is sufficiently powerful to initiate detonation in a surrounding mixture of a lower nitrate concentration which would normally be considered minimally explosive. Changes in humidity and density also significantly affect the explosive properties.[1]
A few months before the incident, the manufacturing process had been changed in such a way as to lower the humidity level of the mixture from 3-4% to 2%, and also to lower the apparent density. Both these factors rendered the substance more likely to explode. There is also evidence that the lot of mixture in question was not of uniform composition and may have contained pockets of up to several dozen tonnes of mixture enriched in ammonium nitrate. It has therefore been proposed that one of the charges had been placed in or near such a pocket, exploding with sufficient violence to set off some of the surrounding lower-nitrate mixture.[1]
Two months earlier, at Kriewald, then part of Germany, 19 people had died when 30 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated under similar circumstances. It is not clear why this warning was not heeded.[1][2]
The Oppau explosion occurred on September 21, 1921, when approximately 4,500 tonnes of a mixture of ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate fertilizer stored in a tower silo exploded at a BASF plant in Oppau, now part of Ludwigshafen, Germany, killing 500–600 people and injuring about 2,000 more.
The plant began producing ammonium sulfate in 1911, but during World War I when Germany was unable to obtain the necessary sulfur, it began to produce ammonium nitrate as well. Ammonia could be produced without overseas resources, using the Haber process.
Compared to ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate is strongly hygroscopic, so the mixture of ammonium sulfate and nitrate clogged together under the pressure of its own weight, turning it into a plaster-like substance in the 20 m high silo. The workers needed to use pickaxes to get it out, a problematic situation because they could not enter the silo and risk being buried in collapsing fertilizer. To ease their work, small charges of dynamite were used to loosen the mixture.
This seemingly suicidal procedure was in fact common practice. It was well known that ammonium nitrate was explosive—it had been used extensively as such during World War I—but tests conducted in 1919 had seemed to indicate that mixtures of ammonium sulfate and nitrate containing less than 60% nitrate were unlikely to explode. On such grounds, the material handled by the plant, nominally a 50/50 mixture, was considered stable enough to be stored in 50,000-tonne lots—more than ten times the amount involved in the disaster. Indeed, nothing extraordinary happened during an estimated 20,000 firings, until the fateful explosion on September 21.[1]
As all involved died in the explosion, the causes are not clear. However, according to modern sources and contrary to the above-mentioned 1919 tests, the "less than 60% nitrate = safe" criterion is inaccurate; in mixtures containing 50% nitrate, any explosion of the mixture is confined to a small volume around the initiating charge, but increasing the proportion of nitrate to 55-60% significantly enhances the explosive properties and creates a mixture whose detonation is sufficiently powerful to initiate detonation in a surrounding mixture of a lower nitrate concentration which would normally be considered minimally explosive. Changes in humidity and density also significantly affect the explosive properties.[1]
A few months before the incident, the manufacturing process had been changed in such a way as to lower the humidity level of the mixture from 3-4% to 2%, and also to lower the apparent density. Both these factors rendered the substance more likely to explode. There is also evidence that the lot of mixture in question was not of uniform composition and may have contained pockets of up to several dozen tonnes of mixture enriched in ammonium nitrate. It has therefore been proposed that one of the charges had been placed in or near such a pocket, exploding with sufficient violence to set off some of the surrounding lower-nitrate mixture.[1]
Two months earlier, at Kriewald, then part of Germany, 19 people had died when 30 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated under similar circumstances. It is not clear why this warning was not heeded.[1][2]
Is it? Do a little research on Hezbollah and stockpiling ammonium. I'm not saying that Hezbollah blew the warehouse on purpose but They recently got banned from Europe for stockpiling ammonium:
"Recent Hezbollah plots were exposed as far afield as Peru and Thailand, but the latest plot was thwarted in Cyprus, where Hussein Bassam Abdallah, a dual Lebanese-Canadian citizen, stockpiled 8.2 tons of ammonium nitrate, a popular chemical explosive. Last week, Abdallah pled guilty to all eight charges against him -- including participation in a terrorist group (read: Hezbollah), possessing explosives, and conspiracy to commit a crime. It was the second time in three years that a Cypriot court has sentenced a Hezbollah operative to prison for plotting an attack in Cyprus. But this latest plot is different, in part because it reveals that the EU's warnings to Hezbollah not to operate on European soil have not dissuaded the group at all. "
Inside Hezbollah's European Plots
The Lebanese terrorist group continues to operate in Europe despite warnings from the EU.
"The report claimed that in the fall of 2015, Metropolitan Police raided sites in north-west London, seizing an estimated 3 tonnes of ammonium nitrate frozen in disposable ice packs."
Failed London bomb plot exposes Hezbollah’s criminal activities in Europe | Simon Speakman Cordall | AW
Hezbollah’s reach extends beyond the Middle East, including the United States and the tri-border region of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.
More articles out there
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The scramble will be deciding who to blame. Lebanon's government has barely been functioning in the past decade with continual conflict between Hezbollah's pro-Iran/Syria block and the more Westernized opposition. Even before covid, the economy had tanked and there were mass anti-government protests. I expect the two political blocks to use this as an excuse to gain political points.
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The first reports mentioned a fire at a fireworks plant that may have spread.
Jewish propaganda? Nice to see anti-semites gives the far right and far left something to talk about.
If you actually follow Lebanese news, it is well established that Hezbollah and the many other factions that have refused to disarm do have weapons depots all over the country. The fake news is only that it had something to do with this explosion.
I have Lebanese friends: very hardworking and genuine people with an entrepreneurial mindset. The interesting thing is most Lebanese do not even live in Lebanon. There is a large diaspora abroad. Many who live in different parts of world and establish successful businesses whilst assimilating to the language and culture of their adoptive countries.
It’s very sad knowing all the potential that country could have. But unfortunately there has been a long lasting issue with nepotism and corruption there that taints all that could be.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_diaspora
It’s very sad knowing all the potential that country could have. But unfortunately there has been a long lasting issue with nepotism and corruption there that taints all that could be.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_diaspora
I guess the question to be asked is why did this ammonium nitrate explode after being in storage for over 6 years. I have my doubts that any thorough internal investigation will be properly conducted as the pro Iranian government there is corrupt and incompetent.
FBI investigation says that the explosion was only 1/5 of the shipment. Means there could be 4 more of these incidents comping.
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www.reuters.com
FBI probe shows amount of chemicals in Beirut blast was a fraction of original shipment
The amount of ammonium nitrate that blew up at Beirut port last year was one fifth of the shipment unloaded there in 2013, the FBI concluded after the blast, adding to suspicions that much of the cargo had gone missing.
www.reuters.com
I personally believe it was being used as bomb making material. Yes..FBI investigation says that the explosion was only 1/5 of the shipment. Means there could be 4 more of these incidents comping.
FBI probe shows amount of chemicals in Beirut blast was a fraction of original shipment
The amount of ammonium nitrate that blew up at Beirut port last year was one fifth of the shipment unloaded there in 2013, the FBI concluded after the blast, adding to suspicions that much of the cargo had gone missing.
The owner just "abandoned" it...
And the paperwork was missing...
