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You can decrease such risks by mixing carbonate minerals (calcium-carbonate and magnesium carboante) into the AN fertilizer, as done in EU counties (and probabl
by zsellera 6y ago
You can decrease such risks by mixing carbonate minerals (calcium-carbonate and magnesium carboante) into the AN fertilizer, as done in EU counties (and probably in the rest of the world as well).
- raducu 6y agoIsn't it also used as a cost effective explosive in some places? I mean, perhaps thats the reason it was not made inert when it was fabricated in Ukraine. It was on the Lebanese authorities to properly store or dispose of it after they seized the shipping.
- regularfry 6y agoIt's mixed with diesel and used as a quarrying explosive.
- Sharlin 6y agoNot to mention as a historically popular homebrew explosive for less than legal uses.
- menybuvico 6y agoNot to mention that you don't need to store 2750 tonnes of it in a warehouse in a harbour in a large city like Beirut.
- gonzo41 6y agoThe natural heat was the killer. IF twitter was right the fire started from sparks from a welding on a door. The AN must have already been decomposing in the heat and under weight just waiting. I wonder how often this storage facility was at a critical point like this. Like how many hot days. How often before this. It makes you think about all the other risks sitting out there just waiting for a small spark.
- DEADBEEFC0FFEE 6y agoHow many near misses.
- codebolt 6y agoThere was also fireworks going of just before the blast. Storing 2750 tons of AN next to a fireworks cache seems cartoonishly stupid. https://twitter.com/ConflictsW/status/1290681902781861888?s=19 https://twitter.com/ConflictsW/status/1290681902781861888?s=...
- varjag 6y agoIf prior to the explosion you were told that all dangerous cargo is stored in dangerous cargo area of the port, would you've thought it is stupid?
- ALittleLight 6y agoWould I have thought that storing a massive amount of explosives next to flammable material in the middle of a city was a bad idea? Yes. I don't claim to be a prophet, but it's hard for me to see why anyone wouldn't think that would be a bad idea.
- varjag 6y agoThat's probably how it's done in your nearest port, as well as anywhere else. With actual storage and fire safety procedures (hopefully) better followed. Same reason you have ammunition depots in the military and not mixed storage of your howitzer shells with MREs and socks. Partitioning hazardous stuff into dedicated holds with heightened access and fire security is how it's done everywhere.
- Chris2048 6y agoI'd expect the "dangerous cargo area" to be a specialised, and somewhat more highly scrutinised area of the port.
- randomsearch 6y agoIt’s outrageous that this was left there for years. Texas City should never have been repeated (this looks like an even bigger explosion).
- madaxe_again 6y agoTurns out it wasn’t voluntary - an unscrupulous ship owner abandoned their crew, vessel and cargo when the vessel was deemed unseaworthy - they’ve been trying to get rid of it for years. It’s not the most stable stuff, but with wet nitrate you’ll usually just get a fierce fire, not a detonation - but if a percussive shell from the fireworks landed in it and then detonated, that would be enough to make it go bang.