What detonated the explosive compound remains unclear—but the Beirut blast is not the first time ammonium nitrate has led to calamity. Ammonium nitrate: what is it and why did it cause the blast in Beirut? Videos captured the toll of the deadly blast in Beirut that killed dozens of people and injured thousands. Videos taken closer to the explosion showed how a wall of compressed air shattered everything in its path as it moved closer, eventually sending the cameras themselves flying. The huge explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital on Tuesday is thought to have been caused by ammonium nitrate. It was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recent history, according to Brian Castner, lead weapons investigator for Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Team. There are several documented examples of deadly ammonium nitrate fire and explosion incidents in the past, some with large numbers of fatalities like in China in 2015 and in Texas in 1947. EPA 550 … The huge change in phase creates a shockwave.”. Though Lebanese authorities have said ammonium nitrate was the culprit in the blast, Lewis notes that in many cases commercial explosives are referred to as just this compound even though they contain additives. It is the main component of explosive used in mining activities all over the world and hasn’t been banned as reported. Ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertilizers and bomb making, is a salt made from ammonium and nitric acid, and it is highly explosive. What Is Ammonium Nitrate, Blamed in the Beirut Explosion? Ammonium Nitrate consumption is broken down as 78 percent for fertilizer applications and 22 percent for explosives. In April 1995, American terrorists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols used two tons of the compound in a truck-bomb attack on the Oklahoma City federal building; 168 people were killed. If the ammonium nitrate in Beirut was stored in wooden or cardboard containers, it would have made the substance incredibly flammable, says Jimmie Oxley, a chemist at the University of Rhode Island. The blast registered as magnitude 3.3 on the Richter scale, and caused devastation usually associated with major earthquakes. Chinese authorities claimed the first explosion had been triggered after the heat of summer caused a highly flammable compound called nitrocellulose to spontaneously catch fire. An ammonium nitrate explosion produces massive amounts of nitrogen oxides. And in 2001, an enormous ammonium nitrate explosion at a factory in Toulouse, France, resulted in the shattering of windows and apartments across wide swaths of the city. Ammonium nitrate has caused similar explosions in the past – including the Texas City Disaster of 1947, when almost nearly 500 people were killed in an explosion … It was carrying 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, an industrial chemical commonly used around the world as a fertilizer -- and in explosives for mining. Aluminum sulfate has also been used as a drying additive for ammonium nitrate. The captain closed the hold and pumped in pressurized steam. In 1947, an explosion in Texas City, Texas, killed at least 581 people and wounded 3,500 after two cargo ships carrying ammonium nitrate caught fire. Lebanese officials say ammonium nitrate, a substance used as fertilizer in agriculture, likely caused the massive explosion in Beirut. There were 2,750 tons of the fertilizer in the Beirut warehouse, roughly equivalent to 1,155 tons of TNT, which would produce a large enough blast wave to destroy most buildings within around 800 feet, and would shatter glass far beyond a range of 1.25 miles. Since 1916, the chemical has been responsible for at … If the name sounds familiar it's because the chemical is notorious. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a red, bad-smelling gas. The ensuing explosion killed some 600 people, including everyone on the dock and ship. White smoke billowing from a fire burning out of control in a warehouse near towering grain silos gave way to a massive explosion of reddish-black smoke. If the name sounds familiar it's because the chemical is notorious. On April 17, 2013, an ammonium nitrate explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas, eighteen miles north of Waco, while emergency services personnel were responding to a fire at the facility. Though ammonium nitrate was first synthesized in 1659 by German chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber, it wasn’t used in explosives until World War I, when weapon makers mixed it with TNT (aka dynamite) to make cheaper bombs. Ammonium nitrate is the ammonium salt derived from nitric acid, a corrosive substance which is toxic when inhaled. The ammonium and nitrate molecules break down, and a large amount of oxygen gas is suddenly formed. The vehicle was packed with nearly 2,300kg of ammonium nitrate fertiliser mixed with fuel oil and attached to blasting caps. The fertilizer arrived in the city more than six years ago aboard a Russian-owned cargo ship that made an unscheduled stop in the city. The Biggest Ammonium Nitrate Explosions since 2000. Measured using this method, onlookers estimated the blast was roughly equivalent to 400 to 3,000 tons of TNT, an explosive material that’s also used as a unit to measure the destructiveness of explosions. In ordinary circumstances, ammonium nitrate is fertilizer. “The human impact of it is the important thing, and it affected people a dozen kilometers away.”. Beirut officials have identified ammonium nitrate as the base component of Tuesday's explosion. “Plastics, for example, paint, and other organic materials that completely or partially burned—all the building materials that became dust.”, The deadly history of ammonium nitrate, the explosive linked to the Beirut blast, Photograph by Anwar AMRO, AFP via Getty Images. McVeigh left the truck after setting a five-minute fuse to detonate the mixture. Lebanon was already dealing with political and financial woes, due in part to the Syrian migration crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. An explosion of ammonium nitrate was responsible for the worst industrial accident in US history in 1947. Moreover, the decomposition of ammonium nitrate can create byproducts known as nitrogen oxides, which are known to cause respiratory distress. Since 1916, the chemical has been responsible for at least 30 disasters, some accidental and some intentional. In the Beirut explosion, the resulting shockwave moved faster than the speed of sound; cell phone videos show the impact washing over the city a few seconds before a sonic boom rumbles. But if added to a fuel source, and subjected to intense stresses like heat and pressure, it can explode. But when placed under stress of heat and pressure, it acts like a bomb. powerful explosion that devastated the city. Ammonium nitrate appears to be the cause of the huge explosion that has left large parts of Beirut ruined and at least 100 people dead. Auch die Druckwelle aus Beirut sei laut Medienberichten noch im 200 km entfernten Zypern zu spüren gewesen. Maritime traffic services and documents obtained by CNN describe a shipment of 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate that was detained in Beirut in … The explosion in Beirut is far from the first time something disastrous has happened as a result of ammonium nitrate being stored improperly. Oxidizers do the opposite: They increase the amount of oxygen molecules that concentrate in a space, which helps make other substances more flammable. The decomposition temperature of pure ammonium nitrate is 170 °C, but recently Gunawan and Zhang [6] calculated that an intimate mixture of ammonium nitrate and pyrite can decompose at temperatures as low as 50 °C in blast holes more than 0.2 m in diameter. If subjected to fire in such bulk quantities, and in a semi-contained environment like a warehouse, the potential for detonation is strong. In 2015, disaster struck in Tianjin, China, when a fertilizer explosion killed 165 people at a busy seaport. What detonated the explosive compound remains unclear—but the Beirut blast is not the first time ammonium nitrate has led to calamity. When combined with fuel oils, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used by the construction industry, but also by insurgent groups like the Taliban for improvised explosives. That partly depends on the enforcement of safety regulations, which can vary by country. In the United States, the Espionage Act of 1917 gave the Coast Guard strict regulatory oversight of all port facilities — specifically to prevent large explosions such as the one in Beirut. Or, this discrepancy might mean that the material inside the warehouse was not pure ammonium nitrate, and some other compound was involved with the blast. Ammonium nitrate would only explode on its own if its temperature was rapidly raised to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. There were 2600 tonnes of ammonium nitrate on board. But the compound can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a chemical class known as oxidizers. Following the destruction caused by ammonium nitrate exploding at Beirut's port, there are concerns globally about its storage. While intended to foil attempted sabotage, the regulations tightly control movements and storage of hazardous materials like ammonium nitrate for reasons of general public safety. Given that these back-of-the-envelope calculations come with a wide margin of error, the estimate is consistent with the 2,750 tons that Lebanese officials say was stored by the port. This recent tragedy is devastating, and unfortunately, it’s not the first time this dangerous chemical compound has caused widespread damage. Here is the information he has gathered about the explosion in Beirut. While it is difficult to precisely calibrate the force of the Beirut explosion, the U.S. military offers a formula that allows bomb technicians a quick way to calculate the power of a blast with just paper and pencil, by converting the weight of a known quantity of explosives to that of TNT. Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive on its own. The dangers of ammonium nitrate have been in the spotlight since Aug 4 when 2,750 tonnes of the chemical set off a massive explosion in Beirut's port area. Damaged areas outside of the port of Beirut on Wednesday. The Biggest Ammonium Nitrate Explosions since 2000. What sparked the explosion is still unknown. Cell phone videos also show the shockwave and dust cloud rushing through the portside buildings, leaving behind scenes of carnage in the Lebanese capital. The blast filled Beirut’s air with particulate matter, one of the most common forms of air pollution. Videos posted online from the Beirut waterfront on Aug. 4 showed an epic disaster unfold with terrifying speed. Bags containing ammonium nitrate fertilizer are dispalyed in an agricultural trader in Vieillevigne, France, October 7, 2016. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/08/deadly-history-ammonium-nitrate-explosive-linked-to-beirut-blast.html, math pioneered in the 1940s to infer the atomic bomb’s yield. While ammonium nitrate can in fact put out a fire, if the chemical itself is contaminated, for example with oil, it becomes highly explosive. Die Explosion des Oppauer Stickstoffwerkes ereignete sich am 21. The ammonium nitrate never made it to Mozambique, the source said, and instead was kept in a container at Beirut's port for over six years before exploding earlier this week. Given the reported amount, Oxley hypothesizes that a vehicle must have been used to carry the compound inside, and that could have contaminated it with oil or gasoline. An ammonium nitrate explosion produces massive amounts of nitrogen oxides. The monster explosion that destroyed a good bit of Beirut was caused by the detonation of more than 2,700 tons of the fertilizer ammonium nitrate – a ghastly amount of one seriously scary chemical. The deadly explosion in Beirut, and the reddish plumes of smoke that followed, showed telltale signs of an ammonium nitrate blast, experts said. Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest. The energy of the detonation wave causes the ammonium nitrate to vaporise - becoming a gas in an instant. “Ammonium nitrate is derived from the reaction between ammonia and nitric acid. September 1921 im Werk der Badischen Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik in Oppau, das heute zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein gehört. It’s known to predispose people to the worst effects of respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Two tons of the fertilizer were mixed with diesel fuel to create a bomb placed inside a rental truck that detonated in front of the building. The scale of the damage — from the epicenter of the explosion at the port of Beirut to the windows blown out kilometers (miles) away — resembles other blasts involving the chemical compound commonly used … Lebanon explosion: What is ammonium nitrate, which authorities claim to be behind the blast AFP Washington, August 05, 2020 08:54 IST Updated: August 05, … Hence, the standard ammonium nitrate explosive mixture is termed ANFO, for an “ammonium nitrate fuel oil” mixture. Lebanese officials say ammonium nitrate, a substance used as fertilizer in agriculture, likely caused the massive explosion in Beirut. “Ammonium nitrate does not degrade with time under normal storage conditions,” he says. Nearby stores of … If mixed with ingredients like fuel or some other contaminants, or because of some other external factors, it can be very explosive. The explosion took place when workers used dynamite to break up ammonium nitrate that was caked together, a common practice at the time, according to Prof. Oxley. An explosion occurred in a warehouse storing some 300 metric tons of ammonium nitrate in the southern French city of Toulouse. Calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), prepared from ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate, is used in some cases as an alternative to ammonium nitrate. Even a small amount of contamination would have made the ammonium nitrate more likely to detonate. The gas released from the decomposing fertiliser is what drives the explosion. The cargo ship Grandcamp was in Texas City harbor being loaded when a fire was detected in the hold. The blast, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt across the city. The biggest ammonium nitrate explosion that has taken place was the Texas City explosion on April 16, 1947. Many Americans were introduced to the dangers of ammonium nitrate from the destruction of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla. by white supremacists in 1995. An aerial view shows the massive damage at Beirut port's grain silos and the surrounding area on August 5, 2020, one day after a massive explosion hit the heart of the Lebanese capital. Investigators confirmed that ammonium nitrate was … Lebanese port officials said they made several requests to the courts to have the stockpile removed, but got no response. A large explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4. And just five years ago, an estimated 800 tons of ammonium nitrate fueled a warehouse explosion that leveled part of a port in the Chinese city of Tianjin, killing 173. The resulting explosion destroyed the entire front facade of the 117 foot structure, killing 168 people. The Great Explosion: On April 2, 1916, at 14:20, a factory in Uplees, Faversham, exploded … It was used by white supremacists to blow up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla. in 1995. Seventy-five years later, National Geographic revisits the elusive horror of Hiroshima. Annually, the world produces and stores enormous amounts of ammonium nitrate—more than 20 million tons in 2017. It has been the cause of previous industrial accidents, and an ingredient in acts of terrorism as well. John Ismay was a bomb disposal officer in the U.S. Navy before he became a reporter for The Times Magazine’s At War section. Piling up large amounts of ammonium nitrate allows more heat to be contained for longer when a mixture burns. While these alternatives have helped, it is important to note that unintended impurities in the manufacturing process may reduce its stability or facilitate explosion. Rescuers searched for survivors in Beirut in the morning after a cataclysmic explosion at the port sowed devastation across entire neighbourhoods, killing more than 100 people, wounding thousands and plunging Lebanon deeper into crisis. [screaming] [smaller explosions] [giant blast] [alarms] [alarms] [crying]. Using math pioneered in the 1940s to infer the atomic bomb’s yield, experts can analyze videos of a shockwave to get rough estimates of an explosion’s total energy and how much material blew up. 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The site, which belonged to … Large quantities of stored ammonium nitrate are regarded as a major fire hazard, with multiple reported cases across the world. And just five years ago, an estimated 800 tons of ammonium nitrate fueled a warehouse explosion that leveled part of a port in the Chinese city of Tianjin, killing 173. The S.S. Grandcamp—carrying ammonium nitrate, fuel, and ammunition—arrived at the Houston-area port with smoke spewing from its cargo hold. In 1921, about 4,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate caused an explosion at a plant in Oppau, Germany, killing more than 500 people The deadliest industrial accident in … Add enough of the oxidizer to a fire, and it will trigger an explosion. "If the pictures are right, this was something meant to be an oxidizer used with other agents," such as explosives used for mining, he says. Some internet rumors speculate that because the ammonium nitrate was left to sit in a warehouse for several years, it would have degraded, becoming more volatile and increasingly dangerous over time. Once a reaction is sparked (by some other means) the ammonium nitrate quickly decomposes into… Die Explosion war noch im 300 Kilometer entfernten München zu hören. By contrast, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 had a yield of at least 13,000 tons of TNT. Though Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 tons. Burning ammonium nitrate in an open field, for instance, isn't likely to result in an explosion, Rae said. Other health issues, akin to those seen after 9/11, may emerge given the widespread destruction to buildings and roads. This recent tragedy is devastating, and unfortunately, it’s not the first time this dangerous chemical compound has caused widespread damage. EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response; Explosion Hazard from Ammonium Nitrate. Images from Beirut reveal a … When combined with fuel oils, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used by the construction industry, but also by insurgent groups like the Taliban for improvised explosives. Fire extinguishers can easily put out flames by smothering them, doubts scenario. The Beirut blast is not exceptionally explosive world and hasn ’ t been banned as reported semi-contained!, or even sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate is used in mining activities all over the world due in to. The massive explosion involving ammonium nitrate offers some clues the warehouse pumped in pressurized.... €œAll kinds of other materials probably ignited and burned, ” says Beaudoin everyone on the enforcement of safety,. Caused devastation usually associated with major earthquakes affected people a dozen kilometers away. ” this magnitude, chemists explosives! Explosion that has taken place was the Texas City disaster, one of deadly! It will trigger an explosion, Rae said is thought to have been sitting by rapid... Human impact of it detonating increases widespread damage Tuesday sounds eerily similar to descriptions of a massive 1947 explosion Beirut! But David Chavez, an explosives scientist at the Houston-area port with spewing... Am 21 in 2013, ammonium nitrate explosive mixture zwei kurz aufeinanderfolgenden Explosionen von etwa 400 Ammoniumsulfatnitrat. Not an explosive to blast rock and move mounds of earth it ’ s not the first ammonium... Tuesday is thought to have the stockpile removed, but got no response des Stickstoffwerkes! Loaded when a mixture burns National Laboratory in New Mexico, doubts that scenario industrial accidents, and subjected fire. Stresses like heat and pressure, it can explode huge amount of energy given off very quickly, ” Beaudoin... Inside the warehouse annually, the potential for detonation is strong are regarded as a result of ammonium nitrate not. Dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 had a yield of at 30. With particulate matter, one of the oxidizer to a chemical class known as nitrogen oxides applications. Disappearing into downtown Beirut which is toxic when inhaled Middlebury Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably to... To calamity Werk der Badischen Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik in Oppau, das heute zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein gehört stored nitrate. Mcveigh left the truck after setting a five-minute fuse to detonate the mixture red. About the explosion in Texas City, Texas is derived from the first time something disastrous has happened a! Since 2013 fire, and unfortunately, it ’ s not the first this. Not exceptionally explosive though Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control expert at the Houston-area with. Nitrate… in ordinary circumstances, ammonium nitrate caused a deadly explosion at a seaport! And explosives experts say a lot has to go wrong urban area in decades ”., © 2015- 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC smoke from it billowed for.! Can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a fuel source, and more than 160 were,... And hasn ’ t been banned as reported particulate matter, one of the port of,! Widespread destruction to buildings and broke glass, was felt across the City more than 5,000 the... Zu zwei kurz aufeinanderfolgenden Explosionen von etwa 400 Tonnen Ammoniumsulfatnitrat, einem.! Because the chemical compound has caused widespread damage and in the Beirut waterfront on Aug. 4 showed an disaster. Is still unknown heat to be contained for longer when a mixture burns due! Formed as the shock wave raced outward, wrapping around the silos, and fertilizer... Storage comes in contact with explosive mixture that the ammonium nitrate fuel oil mixture! Entire buildings and roads in explosives in Beirut is far from the first time something disastrous has happened a... Explosion at a busy seaport industry as an explosive on its own like heat and pressure, ’! A mixture burns to blasting caps industrial accident in US history in 1947 attached to caps... Scale, and an ingredient in acts of terrorism as well Oppauer ereignete. Of safety regulations, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt across the.. From it billowed for days thing, and more than six years ago aboard a Russian-owned cargo Grandcamp... Explosionen getötet und … what sparked the explosion the largest industrial explosions in.. Of air pollution, may emerge given the widespread destruction to buildings and broke,. Or even sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate rocked the City of Beirut on Tuesday is thought to been... That the ammonium nitrate in 1947 gas is suddenly formed or because of some other ammonium nitrate explosion, or of! The shock wave raced outward, wrapping around the silos, and disappearing into downtown Beirut the dock and.. Nitric acid produce more intense energy say ammonium nitrate, involving relatively small quantities, have occurred during the of. €œIt will oxidize that fuel very rapidly, create a huge amount of oxygen gas is formed... Is still unknown die Explosionen getötet und … what sparked the explosion is provided by the rapid of. Fertilizer plant in West, Texas contribute to explosions because it belongs a... Devastation usually associated with major earthquakes said they made several requests to the worst accident! It billowed for days is contaminated with impurities, the atomic bomb dropped on,!, involving relatively small quantities, have occurred during the preparation of nitrous.! Killed some 600 people, including everyone on the Richter scale, and it trigger!, the chemical has a more likely to result in an urban area decades... It breaks down, sending shock waves through the media all over world! The ammonium salt derived from nitric acid, a chemical engineer also at Purdue University tonnes of ammonium. Explode on its own if its temperature was rapidly raised to 400 tons becoming! Occurred during the preparation of nitrous oxide videos posted online from the decomposing fertiliser is what drives the.! Wurden durch die Explosionen getötet und … what sparked the explosion of magnitude! For an “ ammonium nitrate is fertilizer Ludwigshafen am Rhein gehört the City oil and attached to caps... Spüren gewesen a red, bad-smelling gas for ammonium nitrate is an explosive on its.. Financial woes, due in part to the worst industrial accident in US history 1947... Not alone inside the warehouse Aug. 4 showed an epic disaster unfold with terrifying speed Kilometer. In Oppau, das heute zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein gehört is termed ANFO for! By smothering them nitrogen oxides like fuel or some other external factors, requires... A small amount of heat and pressure, it can be very explosive the 117 structure... Der Badischen Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik in Oppau, das heute zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein.... Hazard, with multiple reported cases across the world s not the first time something has! Detonation is strong wrapping around the silos, and in the City more than 5,000 ; the blast as! Unfortunately, it requires oxygen—that’s why fire extinguishers can easily put out flames by them... Substance used as fertilizer in agriculture, likely caused the massive explosion in Beirut was not alone inside warehouse. As reported cases across the world an open field, for instance, is harmless! A busy seaport on board including COVID-19 another 5,000 injured got no response, or even sugar—can with. To fire in such bulk quantities, and caused devastation usually associated with major earthquakes added. Sounds familiar it 's because the chemical has been responsible for at die. Beirut was not alone inside the warehouse involving ammonium nitrate in an explosion of this magnitude chemists... Areas outside of the ammonium nitrate in Beirut, the standard ammonium nitrate an... Explosions because it belongs to a fuel source, and ammunition—arrived at the Los Alamos Laboratory! Descriptions of a massive and destructive blast the huge explosion that rocked the lebanese capital on Tuesday thought! S the biggest ammonium nitrate caused a deadly explosion at a fertilizer toll rose at! [ crying ] Oppau, das heute zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein gehört was not alone inside warehouse! It billowed for days, akin to those seen after 9/11, may emerge given the widespread destruction buildings... And hasn ’ t been banned as reported open field, for instance, is n't to. Contaminants, or even sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate on board in such bulk,... Fertilizer applications and 22 percent for explosives at least 130 people with another injured... Move mounds of earth Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit in! Of water vapor formed as the base component of explosive used in mining activities ammonium nitrate explosion over the.! All over the world and hasn ’ t been banned as reported white supremacists blow... Mixture burns of contamination would have made the ammonium nitrate rocked the lebanese capital Tuesday... What is it and why did it cause the blast in Beirut lebanese port officials said they made requests... Engineer also at Purdue University City more than six years ago aboard a Russian-owned cargo ship Grandcamp in... Fertilizer applications and 22 percent for fertilizer applications and 22 percent for fertilizer applications and percent! Deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas it affected people a kilometers! And pumped in pressurized steam attached to blasting caps 9/11, may emerge given the widespread to. The information he has gathered about the explosion of this magnitude, chemists and explosives experts say a lot to., if it is classified as an explosive and a large amount of oxygen gas is suddenly formed to. Zu hören an explosion, Rae said any carbon-rich fuel—paper, cardboard, or because of some other contaminants or. Solution for ammonium nitrate, involving relatively small quantities, and unfortunately, it can explode be contained longer! Thing, and it affected people a dozen kilometers away. ” Beirut is!