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Beirut rocked by massive explosion (See threadmarks to help)

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smisk

smisk

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,999
Amazing that the grain elevator (tall white structure) mostly survived. Those shorter buildings are just demolished.
 
Wrapped in Black

Wrapped in Black

Member
Mar 10, 2018
8,735
This is senseless. I hope that casualties are at a minimum, and that any family/friends currently living near this area are ok.
 
Stop It

Stop It

Bad Cat
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,350
Noodle said:
Interior minister speaking to Murr Television Lebanon says ammonium nitrate was being stored there

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/aug/04/beirut-explosion-huge-blast-port-lebanon-capital
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Makes sense.

If it's a farming port with grain storage, they'll use ammonium nitrate as fertilizers too. One in, the other one out, as obviously the process is a cycle.

However, you don't generally want to store it near flammable things or it'll be at risk of explosion as the energy stored in the chemical is high and is exceptionally volatile by requirement so crops can access the nitrogen cheaply in terms of energy cost to the plants.

Put lots in a concentration, and ignite and it'll go up. Tianjin was exactly this, a primary explosion of dried nitrocellulose causing a store of ammonium nitrate to explode and this looks to be incredibly similar.
 
SchrodingerC

SchrodingerC

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,859
Muad'dib said:
Explosion happen around 400m in front of me, I was in a cab getting back from work, my co worker with me, our road home takes us past Port of Beirut into Downtown and upwards.

When we reached the fire brigade 400m before the port we saw a huge black plume coming out from the port, then a massive shockwave and explosive. Two cars in front of us were smashed by the wave, we got out and ran back.

Less than a minute later, smashed cars, bloodied people, babies. We walked back home through Gemayze which is near the port, it's a freaking war zone.

I lived through two Israeli wars and no airstrike does this amount of damage, the whole of Beirut is ruined.



This is after the explosion in 30 minutes, the epicenter at the port.
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Omg what a scary thing to witness.

Glad you're safe 😮
 
Arex

Arex

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,501
Indonesia
Damn that shockwave was really really destructive. I think probably every windows in 1-2km radius was blown away.
 
Baji Boxer

Baji Boxer

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,380
Aureon said:
Uhm, click them?
1Z0UbRh.png
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.
 
Last edited:
aerie

aerie

wonky
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
8,035
Muad'dib said:
Explosion happen around 400m in front of me, I was in a cab getting back from work, my co worker with me, our road home takes us past Port of Beirut into Downtown and upwards.

When we reached the fire brigade 400m before the port we saw a huge black plume coming out from the port, then a massive shockwave and explosion. Two cars in front of us were smashed by the wave, we got out and ran back.

Less than a minute later, smashed cars, bloodied people, babies. We walked back home through Gemayze which is near the port, it's a freaking war zone.

I lived through two Israeli wars and no airstrike does this amount of damage, the whole of Beirut is ruined.



This is 30 minutes after the explosion, the epicenter at the port.
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I'm glad you're OK.
 

Wordballoons

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
1,061
Baji Boxer said:
And? Do you think people are the least bit aware of what "MiddleEastEye" is here? This is an America-centric forum. And I didn't intend it to be specific to you, but the thread as a whole. Yours was just the most recent to give news. This guy is referencing what seems to be a mainstream source in Lebenon, but with the number of tweets from random sources that occur in these threads, it's ridiculous to expect people to click on their tweet, click their name, google the outlet they work for and/or whatever source they're referencing, and figure out if they're legit. It's far more helpful to write a couple sentences when you post.

I think it's a reasonable request.
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sir, this is a wendys

it's an internet forum and people are shocked, make some effort yourself - we all read stuff in your language. this is a tragedy and it's insensitive to lecture people.
 
7aged

7aged

Member
Oct 28, 2017
922
Baji Boxer said:
And? Do you think people are the least bit aware of what "MiddleEastEye" is here? This is an America-centric forum. And I didn't intend it to be specific to you, but the thread as a whole. Yours was just the most recent to give news. This guy is referencing what seems to be a mainstream source in Lebenon, but with the number of tweets from random sources that occur in these threads, it's ridiculous to expect people to click on their tweet, click their name, google the outlet they work for and/or whatever source they're referencing, and figure out if they're legit. It's far more helpful to write a couple sentences when you post.

I think it's a reasonable request.
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I don't know why people are rounding on him. The tweet is a quote from an official, one that was also reported by other outlets. Here's someone from the AP:

 
vastag

vastag

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,232
Blizniak said:
There were definitely still people nearby
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Fucking hell, they are right next to the explosion. I hope that they sharing the video means that they survived. Unbeliable.
Muad'dib said:
Explosion happen around 400m in front of me, I was in a cab getting back from work, my co worker with me, our road home takes us past Port of Beirut into Downtown and upwards.

When we reached the fire brigade 400m before the port we saw a huge black plume coming out from the port, then a massive shockwave and explosion. Two cars in front of us were smashed by the wave, we got out and ran back.

Less than a minute later, smashed cars, bloodied people, babies. We walked back home through Gemayze which is near the port, it's a freaking war zone.

I lived through two Israeli wars and no airstrike does this amount of damage, the whole of Beirut is ruined.



This is 30 minutes after the explosion, the epicenter at the port.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


Holy fuck, that must have been terrifiying. Glad that you are ok. I can't imagine seeing your city like that, it must feel completely surreal.
 
DrROBschiz

DrROBschiz

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,487
H0xton said:
Pretty sure that's not fireworks that explosion had a Shockwave and cloud like a hydrogen bomb or something of the like.
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Fireworks can indeed make a huge ass explosion like this

but it looks like the fireworks fire was the ignition source for something else that really shouldnt have been stored nearby
 
Muad'dib

Muad'dib

Banned
Jun 7, 2018
1,253
Stop It said:
Makes sense.

If it's a farming port with grain storage, they'll use ammonium nitrate as fertilizers too. One in, the other one out, as obviously the process is a cycle.

However, you don't generally want to store it near flammable things or it'll be at risk of explosion as the energy stored in the chemical is high and is exceptionally volatile by requirement so crops.can access the nitrogen cheaply in terms of energy cost to the plants.

Put lots in a concentration, and ignite and it'll go up. Tianjin was exactly this, a primary explosion of dried nitrocellulose causing a store of ammonium nitrate to explode and this looks to be incredibly similar.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

The word is that Nitrate was offloaded and not ours, it was put in storage in area where confiscated materials are stored, then neglected for 10 years.

Incompetence and corruption killed us today.
 
Zen

Zen

The Wise Ones
Member
Nov 1, 2017
9,658
Muad'dib said:
Explosion happen around 400m in front of me, I was in a cab getting back from work, my co worker with me, our road home takes us past Port of Beirut into Downtown and upwards.

When we reached the fire brigade 400m before the port we saw a huge black plume coming out from the port, then a massive shockwave and explosion. Two cars in front of us were smashed by the wave, we got out and ran back.

Less than a minute later, smashed cars, bloodied people, babies. We walked back home through Gemayze which is near the port, it's a freaking war zone.

I lived through two Israeli wars and no airstrike does this amount of damage, the whole of Beirut is ruined.



This is 30 minutes after the explosion, the epicenter at the port.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Glad you're alive. Holy shit
 

TiC

Banned
Jul 12, 2019
609
Beirut city officials are criminally negligent. They need to be held liable for this.
 
Cat Party

Cat Party

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,413
The damage from that shockwave is insane. It looks like it just blew through buildings in some cases. I really hope it's mostly property damage that the city has to deal with, but I know it's going to be so much worse than that as the story develops.
 
KodaRuss

KodaRuss

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,857
Texas
I dont remember seeing any video of it but this reminds me of the explosion in West, TX. Fertilizer plant exploded and destroyed a huge chunk of the town.
 
KujoJosuke

KujoJosuke

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,769
those videos are horrifying

I wonder how many people just thought it was the start of a war or some shit.

Hope casualties are low
 
Hayeya

Hayeya

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,807
Canada
Arex said:
Damn that shockwave was really really destructive. I think probably every windows in 1-2km radius was blown away.
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20 km away, my friends are living outside beirut and their windows were broken.
Central beirut is devastated.
No one will be held accountable as usual.
Fuck my politicians.
 
Muad'dib

Muad'dib

Banned
Jun 7, 2018
1,253


Saw this on twitter. Ethiopian maid grabbed and saved a little girl when the shockwave hit.
 
StrangerDanger

StrangerDanger

Member
Jul 18, 2018
5,860
vastag said:
Fucking hell, they are right next to the explosion. I hope that they sharing the video means that they survived. Unbeliable.
..
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Even if the person survived, they basically are going to have permanent damage to their body. Don't want to imagine what it will be, however they are an idiot for even bothering to video tape it.
 
Whales

Whales

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,175
people are trying to help in the streets but apparently the smoke contains nitric acid and is toxic as hell...
 
Baji Boxer

Baji Boxer

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,380
Wordballoons said:
sir, this is a wendys

it's an internet forum and people are shocked, make some effort yourself - we all read stuff in your language. this is a tragedy and it's insensitive to lecture people.
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I didn't intend to "lecture", no one is doing anything intentionally wrong and I didn't intend to start an argument. I'll stop talking about it though to not distract. I should've just messaged the mods, but was frustrated at the amount of very contradictory and misinformation being posted. I'll go back and delete my comments so people stop quoting me cluttering up the thread.
 
KodaRuss

KodaRuss

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,857
Texas
TheOther said:
If it's the one I'm thinking of, there's a doorbell/security camera video of it at night. It was just a green light that filled up the sky.
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So this was 2013 in West, TX about an hour and a half south of DFW, a fire was started near the plant (arson, I dont believe they figured out who it was). Fifteen people died. Looks pretty similar also a fertilizer plant.

www.youtube.com

Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Caught on Video

A deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. late Wednesday was captured on video by a man and his daughter who were watching the plant on fire from 300 yar...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
Kinthey

Kinthey

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
22,309
The amount of destruction by the shockwave alone is crazy. Horrible thing to happen
 
Midgarian

Midgarian

Alt Account
Banned
Apr 16, 2020
2,619
Midgar
What did the people of the Near East geography do to deserve this state of affairs...is our region to be forever condemned...
 
TheOther

TheOther

Member
Jan 10, 2019
1,794
Texas
KodaRuss said:
So this was 2013 in West, TX about an hour and a half south of DFW, a fire was started near the plant (arson, I dont believe they figured out who it was). Fifteen people died. Looks pretty similar also a fertilizer plant.

www.youtube.com

Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Caught on Video

A deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. late Wednesday was captured on video by a man and his daughter who were watching the plant on fire from 300 yar...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Oh right... West, Texas... Not West Texas
 
Baji Boxer

Baji Boxer

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,380
7aged said:
I don't know why people are rounding on him. The tweet is a quote from an official, one that was also reported by other outlets. Here's someone from the AP:

Click to expand...
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I just picked the wrong tweet to make my request. That's on me. I'm deleting to stop the quotes cluttering up the thread.
 
k1x-

k1x-

Member
Oct 28, 2017
199
This is so horrifying. With the right amount stored in the wrong location, it doesn't really matter if it's weapons or chemicals.
I am sure most people who worked there didn't even know this stuff was around them and something like that could happen.

Tragic and avoidable :(
 
TyrantII

TyrantII

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,365
Boston
Arex said:
Well silos can store hundreds to thousands of tons, so 50 tons aren't really a lot, amount wise. Why they stored explosive Ammonium Nitrate near populated areas is the problem.
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For comparison Oklahoma City was 2 tons of ammonium nitrate. So this would be like 25 of those trucks going off at the same time.
 
Baji Boxer

Baji Boxer

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,380
Muad'dib said:
Explosion happen around 400m in front of me, I was in a cab getting back from work, my co worker with me, our road home takes us past Port of Beirut into Downtown and upwards.

When we reached the fire brigade 400m before the port we saw a huge black plume coming out from the port, then a massive shockwave and explosion. Two cars in front of us were smashed by the wave, we got out and ran back.

Less than a minute later, smashed cars, bloodied people, babies. We walked back home through Gemayze which is near the port, it's a freaking war zone.

I lived through two Israeli wars and no airstrike does this amount of damage, the whole of Beirut is ruined.



This is 30 minutes after the explosion, the epicenter at the port.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Jesus, that's terrifying.
 
Deception

Deception

Member
Nov 15, 2017
8,430
Wow this is absolutely terrifying and devastating, can't even fathom what's going right now over there. :(
 
Lulu

Lulu

Saw the truth behind the copied door
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
26,680
Didn't something similar happen in China a few years ago? Crazy stuff.
 
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