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Beirut Explosion

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Alexis
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Beirut Explosion

Post by Alexis »

Good Morning everyone.

I know we are all devastated by this news regarding the explosion in Beirut and am sure each of us send sincere thoughts and prayers to all who are in the midst of this tragedy. :heart: :heart:

This thread is for anyone to be able to comment on this specific incident if you feel like I do and just want to offer support.

:heart:
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by Messy »

Sometimes a picture paints a thousand words and the video of this appalling incident is indescribable with words.

I do remember thinking - for a second - thank goodness we are so regulated in the UK so it couldn't happen here. Then I thought of Buncefield and Grenfell and now am not so sure.

There is talk some people may not be recovered that were closest, including 10 members of the local fire brigade who were first on scene.

Politics aside, thebLebanese people have been thru so much over the years and recent political turmoil means they are nearll bankrupt. So very sad 😥
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by witsd »

There's a post knocking about pointing out that the Oklahoma bombing used 2.5 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. This appears to have been over 2500 tonnes.

It's difficult to get your head around this level of destructive power.
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by Blackstone »

Such terrible scenes and another kick for an area already suffering on many fronts.

It immediately reminded me of the Tianjin blast in 2015. The 3rd explosion in that disaster was allegedly 800 tonnes of Ammonia Nitrate.
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by Messy »

I attended the Baltic Exchange IRA bomb in the city of London in 1991. The devastation was immense

Three died and the total damage from this one HUGE bomb cost more than all the other historic IRA attacks in the UK combined. It was the biggest explosion in mainland Britain since WW2

This was a fertiliser bomb of around 1 tonne. Even after viewing the Beruit video, its impossible for me to get my head around a similar explosiion that is 2000 times bigger

Thank God it was at a port with the sea along one side and not like the Baltic Exchange bomb, surrounded by property for a 15 mile radius 😳
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by witsd »

From a BBC article:
Other reports have suggested the fire could have been started by welding work.

"We were asked to fix a door of the warehouse by State Security and we did that at noon, but what occurred in the afternoon I have no idea," CNN quoted the port’s general manager, Hassan Koraytem, as telling OTV.
Obviously it's all speculation at this point, but...
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by grim72 »

An interesting read on the BBC site today - looking more at the reason why the ammonium nitrate was there in the first place. Seems like a multitude of issues/mistakes across a sustained timeline that led to the ultimate deadly conclusion. As ever it just goes to prove that ignoring a problem doesnt make it go away.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/extra/x2iutc ... irut-blast
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Re: Beirut Explosion

Post by bernicarey »

I've seen it reported that the crater where the warehouse stood is estimated at 43 mtrs deep, which is approximately half the height of the statue of Liberty, or twice the height of Buckingham Palace.
It's also around 30% deeper than the craters left by the large Mines detonated at the Somme in WWI.
That's one chuffing huge hole!
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