Lebanon - Large explosion rocks port area in Beirut, Aug 2020

[dotr]

'Hundreds' of casualties after massive explosion rocks Beirut
''The head of the Lebanese Red Cross told local TV there were hundreds of casualties although many were superficial wounds from broken glass.

Video taken by residents showed a fire raging at the port, sending up a giant column of smoke, illuminated by flashes of what appear to be fireworks. Local TV stations reported that a fireworks warehouse was involved.

The fire then appeared to catch at a nearby building, triggering a more massive explosion, sending up a mushroom cloud and a shock wave over the city.

“It was like a nuclear explosion,” said Walid Abdo, a 43-year-old school teacher in the neighbourhood of Gemayzeh near Beirut.

Charbel Haj, who works at the port, said it started as small explosions like firecrackers, then the huge blast erupted and he was thrown off his feet. His clothes were torn.

Miles from the port, balconies were knocked down, windows shattered, streets were covered with glass and bricks and lined with wrecked cars. Motorcyclists picked their way through traffic, carrying the injured.

One woman covered in blood from the waist up walked down a trashed street while talking furiously on her phone. On another street, a woman with a bloodied face looked distraught, staggering through traffic with two friends at her side.''

 

[MichelleBlue]

Reuters.. live.

ABC..

Looking at the footage of the aftermath, were all of those cranes brought in for recovery efforts or were they there before the explosions?

 

[Legally Bland]

1h ago18:52

Peter Beaumont

Here is some quick analysis from my colleague, Peter Beaumont.

Amid highly conflicting and vague initial explanations over the cause of the Beirut explosion, a few things stand out. Most of the video footage that has been posted on social media, appears to begin with the aftermath of the first of the two explosions.

A tall building is visible in the port area and next to it a fiercely burning fire is occasionally visible through the smoke. Also clear in many of the videos are a series of white flashes just below the main cloud of dark smoke.

One explanation that was quickly given was that these are detonating fireworks from a stored cache being set off by the fire.

Another potential explanation is that this could be ammunition that is being set off and is burning as you would expect to see when ammunition is hit or is being destroyed.

The secondary explosion is more puzzling still. An early explanation was that it involved warehoused nitrates exploding, or other stored “highly explosive material” as claimed by Lebanon’s internal security chief without being more explicit.

One of the most common nitrates in industrial use is ammonium nitrate, used in fertilisers. It is not ordinarily so explosive in its own right.

When it has been used in homemade explosives, by the IRA and Norwegian far right terrorist Anders Breivik among others, it has been mixed with other materials and is often detonated with a small amount of a more conventional explosive.

And slowed down frame by frame, the video on social media shows a second, highly symmetrical blast taking place at ground level all at once, throwing up a wall of dust and then a cloud into the air and tremendous speed. It suggests the release of a huge amount of energy which in turn creates a devastating pressure wave that carries debris over a least a kilometre.

None of which is to say that this is not a terrible accident involving a freak coincidence of circumstances. The 1947 Galveston fire in Texas involved a ship carrying nitrates and a fire that released other materials into a deadly explosive mix that killed over 500 people.


[...]

45m ago19:16

Lebanon's interior minister says ammonium nitrate likely caused explosion

Michael Safi

Mohamed Fehmi has just told the MTV Lebanon channel the explosion appeared to have been caused by “huge quantities of ammonium nitrate” being stored at the port.

This backs up what the custom’s director-general was quoted as saying to another Lebanese news channel, Al Mayadeen.

[...]

20s ago20:01

More than 30 killed and 3,000 injured, Lebanese health minister says
Hamad Hasan just announced the updated toll in televised remarks


Beirut explosion: dead and wounded among 'hundreds of casualties', says Lebanon Red Cross – live updates

 

[borndem]

That’s what the speculation is. Supposedly it’s some sort of a fireworks warehouse, but it doesn’t look like that to me.

Then again it doesn’t look like a typical bomb explosion.

https://twitter.com/thesun/status/1290689649418084352?s=21

bbm
My thoughts, too. No big black smoke which seems more typical with those kinds of explosions. I've seen in pics and on TV a fireworks building explode, and it looked similar. It looked odd to me, but I am a long way away from being an expert on any kind of explosions
.
What kind of building to the left (before the explosion) was that -- it looked odd, too.

 

[dotr]

Beirut explosion: more than 70 dead and 3,700 wounded, says Lebanon health ministry – live updates
''Interior minister says ammonium nitrate likely caused at least one explosion amid reports hospitals too damaged to treat patients''

''Seven employees missing in port granaries, wheat unusable
Lebanon’s economy minister, Raoul Nehme, told local media on Tuesday that the wheat in Beirut’s port granaries can not be used and that the ministry lost track of seven employees in the granaries, Reuters reports.''

''A ship belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, the UN’s peacekeeping mission to the country, has been damaged in the blast, AFP reports. Some of its personnel are injured.

Another ship moored off the port was on fire, too, according to AFP.''

''An Australian has been confirmed dead in the explosion, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports, citing the Prime Minister:''

''From Reuters:

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said a state of emergency should be declared in Beirut for two weeks after a massive explosion in the capital on Tuesday, and called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Aoun, in remarks published on the Presidency Twitter account, said it was “unacceptable” that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse for six years without safety measures and vowed that those responsible would face the “harshest punishments”.

 

[dotr]

Beirut explosion: more than 70 dead and 3,700 wounded, says Lebanon health ministry – live updates
''The US Embassy in Beirut has released a statement advising that people wear masks and stay indoors, following “reports of toxic gases released in the explosion”.:

Event: We are closely following reports of an explosion at or near the Port of Beirut on August 4.

We encourage citizens in the affected area(s) to monitor local news, follow the emergency instructions provided by local authorities, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program at step.state.gov to receive important emergency information, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for additional updates. There are reports of toxic gases released in the explosion so all in the area should stay indoors and wear masks if available.

We urge U.S. citizens in the affected areas who are safe to contact their loved ones directly and/or update their status on social media. If you are in the affected area and need immediate emergency services, please contact local authorities; police can be contacted at 112, civil defence at 125, and the Lebanese Red Cross at 140. We urge U.S. citizens to avoid the affected areas/shelter in place and follow the directions of local authorities. The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State. We will continue to provide information to U.S. citizens in the area through Alerts, our Embassy website, and travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens with verifiable emergencies may contact BeirutACS@state.gov.''

 

[beatrixpotter]

I was alerted to this today when a friend who lives in Cyprus posted about people in town feeling/hearing a blast and they'd heard it came from Lebanon about 160 miles from where they were. That has to have been an incredibly powerful blast. I'm not buying the idea of fireworks. Any updates on what it might have been?

 

[dotr]

Part 1 of 2 posts.
Beirut explosion: Five things we can learn from video footage and eyewitness accounts
''With just a few seconds of grainy footage and snatched eyewitness testimony, expolsives experts can spot tell-tale signs of the cause of a blast.

Chris Hunter, a counter-terrorist bomb disposal operator, looked at footage of the explosion which took place in Beirut on Tuesday''.

''1. White, pink and red smoke made it unlikely to be gunpowder or ammunition

When there's an explosion it usually results in two kinds of smoke, either black or white. If it's black, we're looking at high explosives - the type used in military ordinance or terrorist car bombs.''

If you see white smoke that's usually consistent with what we call low explosives.

It looked to me like that deep red colour was from a fire, so it could have been from burning materials, furniture or some sort of dye or paint. It could also have been from the amount of dust in the area.''

''2. A simple issue like a dusty warehouse can add to the mix

It doesn't have to be just explosive material. Quite often, if you get a volatile mixture of dust and something flammable, that could explode.''

''3. Lebanon's internal security chief said the area had highly-explosive material but not explosives - what's the difference?

There are materials that, when the correct stimulus is introduced to them, can potentially explode in certain conditions.''
''One of the things that's unique about low explosives is that if you increase the pressure then you increase the burn rate, so if you were to confine that in a hard container so it has nowhere to go to, you'd get an instantaneous explosion.''

 

[dotr]

Part 2 of 2 posts.
Beirut explosion: Five things we can learn from video footage and eyewitness accounts
''4. A team of firefighters at the scene "disappeared" after the explosion
''One of the real challenges is that you don't know how much of it has actually exploded.''

''5. A gridlocked city can add to the danger
"Beirut is a very densely populated city. While there are firefighters and other emergency services, any city experiencing and witnessing an explosion of this magnitude would struggle initially to find the resources to deal with this.''
"One of the things in particular with Beirut's transport infrastructure is that there's very little public transport and limited roadways, so there's high chance of congestion and that will add to the challenge to first responders."

Image: Buildings and vehicles were destroyed in the blast

 

[Tbone144]

It reminded me of the West TX fertilizer plant explosion. That was in a small town but still managed to kill 15 and injure many more. Ammonium Nitrate was an issue there, that and it being arson that started it and it looks like the West one was only 240 tons of ammonium nitrate, not 2700+. I lived 43 miles from West at the time and could feel it. I can’t imagine the scale of the damage in a city.

(just to cite my source West Fertilizer Company explosion - Wikipedia)

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I dread to think how many firefighters died there today.

Really hope it wasn’t an intentional attack though Trump has indicated it might be. I can clearly see the fireworks going off just before hand, perhaps the warehouse stored all kinds of explosives.

 

[dotr]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/lebanon-beirut-explosion-1.5673644
"The latest:
''Massive blast rocks Beirut's port area, killing dozens and injuring nearly 4,000''

• Highly explosive materials were stored at port, says minister.
• Blast felt as far away as Cyprus, more than 160 kilometres away.
• Lebanon's Red Cross chief calls it "a huge catastrophe."
• Former Montrealer confirmed among the dead.
• Lebanese president recommends two-week state of emergency for Beirut.
• Israel says it played no role in explosion, ready to help Lebanon.

A huge explosion near the centre of Beirut killed close to 80 people, injured thousands and sent shockwaves across the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, shattering windows and causing apartment balconies to collapse.''

'' Lebanon's interior minister said initial information indicated highly explosive material, which had been seized years ago and stored there, had blown up.

In remarks published on the Presidency Twitter account, President Michel Aoun said it was "unacceptable" that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse for six years without safety measures and vowed that those responsible would face the "harshest punishments." He called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.'' rbbm.

 

[Dawookie]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/lebanon-beirut-explosion-1.5673644
"The latest:
''Massive blast rocks Beirut's port area, killing dozens and injuring nearly 4,000''

• Highly explosive materials were stored at port, says minister.
• Blast felt as far away as Cyprus, more than 160 kilometres away.
• Lebanon's Red Cross chief calls it "a huge catastrophe."
• Former Montrealer confirmed among the dead.
• Lebanese president recommends two-week state of emergency for Beirut.
• Israel says it played no role in explosion, ready to help Lebanon.

A huge explosion near the centre of Beirut killed close to 80 people, injured thousands and sent shockwaves across the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, shattering windows and causing apartment balconies to collapse.''

'' Lebanon's interior minister said initial information indicated highly explosive material, which had been seized years ago and stored there, had blown up.

In remarks published on the Presidency Twitter account, President Michel Aoun said it was "unacceptable" that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored in a warehouse for six years without safety measures and vowed that those responsible would face the "harshest punishments." He called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared.'' rbbm.

2750 tons is a lot of ammonium nitrate. For comparison the OKC bombing was 4800 pounds of ammonium nitrate, methanol and diesel fuel mixture

 

[Dawookie]

For another comparison, look up the Texas City disaster. Happened in 1947 and involved around 2200 tons of the same.

 

[Tbone144]

For another comparison, look up the Texas City disaster. Happened in 1947 and involved around 2200 pounds of the same.

I was just coming to post that one, I thought this inspired a lot of the regulations for material storage and the like in the US.

that one was 2200 tons.

 

[Dawookie]

I was just coming to post that one, I thought this inspired a lot of the regulations for material storage and the like in the US.

that one was 2200 tons.

it did. Good catch, I don't know why I put pounds instead of tons

 

[sweetcaro]

Just awful, unbelievably devastation. Definitely thinking of all over there.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

My grandma lived in Beirut for a while and always said it was a beautiful city. My generation normally hears it prefixed with the words ‘war torn’ so I’m posting these stunning images of how Beirut was, before the explosion:

Beirut Lebanon Images, Stock Photos & Vectors | Shutterstock

 

[dotr]

Live updates: Lebanese capital rocked by huge explosion
''One witness told CNN the port was "totally destroyed."
Emergency wards were inundated with the injured, while the Lebanese Red Cross implored the public on Twitter for blood donations to help the wounded. One of Beirut's major hospitals, Hotel Dieu, received around 400 injured patients, an employee told CNN.

 

[whitelilac]

This is horrific, and such a tragedy .
I have a friend in Beirut.....her apartment was destroyed, tall windows shattered, part of ceiling collapsed. She posted pictures of her place on FB.
She was blown off her feet by the shock waves and injured by glass, but superficially fortunately.
I fear there will be a lot more deaths...