BEIRUT EXPLOSION

At least 100 people were killed and nearly 4,000 injured in a MASSIVE EXPLOSION AT LEBANON’S CAPITAL BEIRUT. The explosion, according to the Lebanon government, was of over 2700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored for six years in a warehouse in the port.

CAUSE FOR THE EXPLOSION

Six years ago, a Russian ship transported this ammonium nitrate and due to the financial crisis, the ship is rested at the BEIRUT itself without going towards the destination. The ammonium nitrate in the ship is stored at a warehouse in the Beirut harbor. Almost for the past six and half years, it has been stored in the warehouse itself without the proper maintenance. It is the major reason for the explosion caused.

Usually, AMMONIUM NITRATE will not get ignited itself. It needs fire source, oxygen content and it acts as fuel (as per the Fire Triangle). So, this explosion is also caused based on the above principle only. If the stored ammonium nitrate is not maintained properly, then it starts to decompose. While decomposing, it will release Nitrous oxide and water. The NITROUS OXIDE is a strong oxidizer.

This is what happens exactly. Due to the decomposition, there will be present of enormous amount of nitrous oxide. There occurs a fire accident in the nearby warehouse. When this fire came in contact with this nitrous oxide, it produces heat. The produced heat will make the Ammonium Nitrate to decompose at a faster rate. After few seconds, all these Nitrous oxide acts as oxidizer and with the presence of fire source, a huge explosion happens.

KEY POINTS

1. There were two explosions in the central port area of Beirut which occurred barely within minutes of each other within nearby buildings.
2. The blast affected residents living as far as 10 kilometers away from the site and was felt up to 250 Km.
3. The blast created seismic waves equivalent to a magnitude 3.3 earthquake.
4. The blasts were likely triggered by over 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been confiscated and stored by authorities near the port for over six years.
5. A two-week state emergency has been imposed in Beirut following the blast.

AMMONIUM NITRATE

Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) is a nitrogen-rich white, crystalline chemical which is soluble in water.

USES:

• It is a common chemical ingredient of agricultural fertilizers.
• It is used as an ingredient for the production of an aesthetic gases and cold packs.
• It is also the main ingredient in the manufacture of commercial explosives used in mining and construction.

AS EXPLOSIVE:

• It is the main component of the explosive composition known as ANFO- ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
• Pure ammonium nitrate is not an explosive on its own. For Ammonium nitrate to be explosive a primary explosive or detonator like RDX or TNT is required.
• Many Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by terrorists around the world have ANFO as the main explosive.
• Stored ammonium nitrate is a fire hazard and can explode in two ways.
• It may come in contact with some explosive mixture.
• Due to the oxidation process at large scale, heat may be generated starting a fire and then explosion. This seems to be the primary likely cause of the incident at Beirut port.

EXPLOSIONS IN PAST:

1. In the majority of terror attacks in India, including those in Pulwama, Varanasi, Malegaon, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, ammonium nitrate has been used along with initiator explosives like RDX.
2. There have been accidental explosions of ammonium nitrate causing large numbers of fatalities. Eg. China in 2015 and in Texas in 1947.

REGULATIONS:

GLOBAL:

• It is classified as an oxidizing content (Grade 5.1) under the United Nations classification of dangerous goods.
• The United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods categorizes the types of dangerous goods, under nine classes like Explosive Materials, Inflammable liquids, easily oxidizing contents etc.

INDIA: 

• In India, the manufacture, conversion, bagging, import, export, transport, possession for sale or use of ammonium nitrate is covered under The Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012.
• The Explosives Act, 1884, define ammonium nitrate as the “compound with formula NH4NO3 including any mixture or compound having more than 45% ammonium nitrate by weight including emulsions, suspensions, melts or gels but excluding emulsion or slurry explosives and non-explosives emulsion matrix and fertilizers from which the ammonium nitrate cannot be separated”.

Storage of ammonium nitrate in large quantities in populated areas is illegal in India.

For the manufacture of ammonium nitrate, an Industrial license is required under the Industrial Development and Regulation Act, 1951.

A license under the Ammonium Nitrate Rules, 2012 is also required for any activity related to ammonium nitrate.