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A sudden explosion in Beirut yesterday killed 100 people. It occurred Tuesday afternoon in the Lebanese capitol and shocked the world. Initially, it was reported as having occurred due to a fire in a fireworks warehouse. However, the official word now is that the explosion was the result of someone improperly storing ammonium nitrate fertilizer.
Still, some people both in Lebanon and abroad are skeptical of the official story. Many question how fertilizer caused such a massive explosion.
Overturned cars, shattered windows and broken bodies littered the streets of Beirut yesterday. Some people are incredulous that such a devastating explosion could have simply been an accident. Even miles from the explosion, people felt the impact. Those needing finger arthritis treatment could even feel the blast in their joints.
Lebanese officials confirmed on Tuesday that there will be a formal investigation into the matter to determine the circumstances of the explosion. Prime Minister Hassan Diab stated on Wednesday morning, “I will not rest until we find the person responsible for what happened, to hold him accountable and impose the most severe penalties.”
The investigation will dig into the root causes of the explosion. Video of the event shows a warehouse ablaze, with a thick plume of smoke rising from it. Following this, a dome of force blasts out from the buildings, shattering windows and crumpling nearby cars. Search and rescue efforts and firefighters started responding to the incident shortly after.
Currently, we don’t know the exact nature of the explosion’s origins. The official report is that the explosion occurred within a warehouse that has stored ammonium nitrate since 2014. Officials seemed unsurprised that the improperly stored fertilizer would go up the way it did, citing lax storage protocols. The explosion has injured at least 4,000 and killed at least 100 people, causing many to suddenly question the official story.
Lebanon is in the midst of ongoing controversy. A court case into the murder of the prime minister in 2005 was going to conclude shortly before the explosion. Consultancy firm Eurasia Group stated that this incident may hasten a collapse of the Lebanese government.
“The government’s credibility is declining, and large elements of the public no longer believe the government is able to manage,” the Eurasia Group stated. “In our view this accelerates movement towards collapse of the current government. The economic crisis will also deepen, as the port is the main trade valve and base for many stored goods awaiting clearance.”
