Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/08/04/massive-explosion-rocks-beirut.html
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WOW, not sure what I just witnessed but that can’t be good. I guess that is the shock wave spreading out so rapidly. Maybe a fire and then a natural gas explosion?
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Grain silos. Not well run, either. A giant stack of very explosive material. Terrorism or accident, waiting to happen either way.
UPDATE: Looks like the fire hadn’t gotten to the silos and was more likely fireworks in the next building over. Post’s updated with footage.
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My first though being that close to the port. After looking at the footage, I wonder if the first conflagration was intentional and caused a catastrophic chain of events. Honestly, based on the scale we may never know. It looks like a lot of potential evidence would have been blasted away.
This is the kind of event that makes we wish I had a god to pray to.
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There are reports that a warehouse full of fireworks caused at least part of the blast. In some of the footage, you can see them going off before the really huge blast happens.
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A warehouse full of fireworks stored next to grain silos. Ummm…
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The first video I saw, I was like, “That looks a lot like a grain silo… my dad used work at one and explosions at them are a thing.”
Then another video showed either fireworks or ammo cooking off. So, fire started at place with things full of gun powder, an being next to a grain silo is begging for a huge explosion.
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The second explosion smoke rises rapidly just before the shockwave passes. It’s also a dark rust color. This is a good angle:
ETA: That kind of rapid acceleration before an actual blast could be a primary & secondary dust explosion. The first explosion often loosens settled dust and causes a second explosion, often far worse than the first. No idea why it would be red, though. The last explosion smoke looks like it’s dark gray/brown.
EETA: Didn’t see the updated info re: grain silos. If true, this could have been even worse, as unimaginable as that is.
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A report from an eyewitness (reporter) said that she had seen a low-flying jet shortly before the explosion.
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Makes me think of the Halifax Explosion of 1917!
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The scope of that explosion in such a populated area is just terrifying.
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It’s like putting a fertilizer plant next to a bunch of houses…
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Not an expert, but fireworks factory fires tend to go up in much more of a spectacle, whereas nearby video just shows small flashes. Similarly, in other footage, the grain building gets hit by the large explosion, rather than being the source. Few possibilities left beyond ammo and munitions storage, because Beirut.
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No doubt all this early speculation will prove totally wrong.
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It’s near the port for a major city. Pretty much anything is on the table. Warehouses near ports get filled with all kinds of stuff.
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Yes, but there would also be lots of bits of ancillary equipment around them such as the elevators, augers, weighing hoppers, etc. At this scale, those would be large enough to cause a massive explosion without involving the actual storage bins (which is what the very large structure is, I think). Not saying it’s the grain dust, but I’d be surprised if it didn’t at least accelerate things. Again, the multi-stage nature of it is indicative of a dust explosion, but doesn’t preclude other types of explosives as well.
ETA:
Yeah, and that dark red smoke makes me think some chemical is at play as well.
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I mean, if it was a grain, why couldn’t it be red due to the type of grain?
I admit this is speculation. I did call it as a grain explosion when I first saw the video due to the building and the suddenness. It is amazing how powerful dust going up can be.
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FWIW, the alleged grain structure is still standing after the explosion. Pretty tough structure to take that point blank.
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Reddish brown smoke seems to indicate nitric acid. Did they store a lot of fertilizer near the grain?
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They are often thick concrete. I thought in one of the angles the top blew off.
If this was purely a fireworks/munitions explosion and the grain is still safe inside - color me impressed.
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