Questions surround deadly Beirut blast
By 
Andy Extance2020-08-07T13:24:00
Ammonium nitrate explosion that killed at least 135 appears to have been caused by poorly-stored cargo from an abandoned vessel
The explosion that killed at least 135 people and injured over 5000 others in Beirut, Lebanon, on 4 August seems to have originated from an ammonium nitrate cargo stranded since 2013. Lebanese President Michel Aoun said around 2700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely in a warehouse caused the explosion. The country has declared a two-week state of emergency in response. The enormous explosion demolished large areas of the city and has left hundreds of thousands homeless.