The ravaged port in Beirut after the lethal blast. AFP
The ravaged port in Beirut after the lethal blast. AFP
The ravaged port in Beirut after the lethal blast. AFP
The ravaged port in Beirut after the lethal blast. AFP

MENA

Lebanon seizes ammonium nitrate in fertiliser warehouse raid

Same chemical caused deadly explosion at Beirut port

The National

September 19, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Lebanese authorities have seized 20 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, the chemical that caused the deadly explosion at Beirut's port last year.

Security forces raided a fertiliser warehouse in the eastern Bekaa valley, the National News Agency reported on Saturday.

The chemical was stored inside a lorry parked at the warehouse. It was transported to a "safe place".

Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, who visited the Bekaa valley on Saturday, called on security forces to conduct a sweep of the area.

"We must do our best to move these materials to a safer place away from exposure to heat and sun to avoid a catastrophe," the NNA quoted him as saying.

The name of the company that owns the fertiliser has not been made public.

Members of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces lay flowers in front of a memorial to the victims of the explosion in Beirut's port last year.
Members of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces lay flowers in front of a memorial to the victims of the explosion in Beirut's port last year.
Portraits of victims of last year's Beirut port blast.
Portraits of victims of last year's Beirut port blast.
A man, right, hangs a giant Lebanese flag on a building that was damaged in last year's blast.
A man, right, hangs a giant Lebanese flag on a building that was damaged in last year's blast.
France's President Emmanuel Macron remotely attends a Lebanon donors' conference one year after the Beirut port blast.
France's President Emmanuel Macron remotely attends a Lebanon donors' conference one year after the Beirut port blast.
Police hold flowers to mark the anniversary of Beirut's 2020 port blast on August 5.
Police hold flowers to mark the anniversary of Beirut's 2020 port blast on August 5.
Police hold flowers to mark the anniversary of Beirut's massive 2020 port blast.
Police hold flowers to mark the anniversary of Beirut's massive 2020 port blast.
Police hold flowers to mark the anniversary of the Beirut port explosion.
Police hold flowers to mark the anniversary of the Beirut port explosion.
Banners reading 'Here starts your end and our beginning' and 'Hostages of a murderous state' hang on a building damaged in last August's port blast, as Lebanon marks a year since a the cataclysmic explosion devastated Lebanon's capital.
Banners reading 'Here starts your end and our beginning' and 'Hostages of a murderous state' hang on a building damaged in last August's port blast, as Lebanon marks a year since a the cataclysmic explosion devastated Lebanon's capital.
A gavel monument symbolising justice can be seen in front of the damaged grain silos at Beirut port, as Lebanon marks a year since an explosion ravaged the country's capital.
A gavel monument symbolising justice can be seen in front of the damaged grain silos at Beirut port, as Lebanon marks a year since an explosion ravaged the country's capital.
Supporters of Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement release white balloons to mark one year since the huge explosion in Beirut's port. At least 200 people were killed, and more than 6,000 injured in the blast on August 4, 2020.
Supporters of Lebanon's Free Patriotic Movement release white balloons to mark one year since the huge explosion in Beirut's port. At least 200 people were killed, and more than 6,000 injured in the blast on August 4, 2020.
Supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement release paper lanterns to mark one year since a huge explosion in Beirut's port.
Supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement release paper lanterns to mark one year since a huge explosion in Beirut's port.
A man in a wheelchair flies a Lebanese flag during a protest demanding justice for the victims of last year's Beirut port blast.
A man in a wheelchair flies a Lebanese flag during a protest demanding justice for the victims of last year's Beirut port blast.
Demonstrators gather outside Beirut port on the anniversary of the blast that ravaged the city last August. Hundreds of Lebanese marched on August 4 to mark the explosion, protesting against impunity over the country's worst peacetime disaster at a time when its economy was already in tatters.
Demonstrators gather outside Beirut port on the anniversary of the blast that ravaged the city last August. Hundreds of Lebanese marched on August 4 to mark the explosion, protesting against impunity over the country's worst peacetime disaster at a time when its economy was already in tatters.
Relatives of Beirut port blast victims arrive for a remembrance ceremony at the site of the explosion on the first anniversary of the disaster.
Relatives of Beirut port blast victims arrive for a remembrance ceremony at the site of the explosion on the first anniversary of the disaster.
Relatives of Beirut port blast victims arrive for a remembrance ceremony at the site of the explosion on the first anniversary of the disaster.
Relatives of Beirut port blast victims arrive for a remembrance ceremony at the site of the explosion on the first anniversary of the disaster.
Demonstrators gather by the statue of 'The Lebanese Emigrant' near Beirut port on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city.
Demonstrators gather by the statue of 'The Lebanese Emigrant' near Beirut port on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city.
A demonstrator marches with a sign showing one of the young victims of the 2020 Beirut blast.
A demonstrator marches with a sign showing one of the young victims of the 2020 Beirut blast.
People carry flags and banners as they march to mark the anniversary of Beirut's port blast.
People carry flags and banners as they march to mark the anniversary of Beirut's port blast.
Priests pray near the remains of Beirut port on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city.
Priests pray near the remains of Beirut port on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city.
Demonstrators in Lebanon's capital march past a statue symbolising "Beirut rising from destruction" on their way towards the port on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the city.
Demonstrators in Lebanon's capital march past a statue symbolising "Beirut rising from destruction" on their way towards the port on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the city.
France's President Emmanuel Macron talks to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun during a remote international conference to raise aid for the country. France has pledged about €100 million ($118.3m) in emergency aid as well as 500,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses for Lebanon.
France's President Emmanuel Macron talks to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Aoun during a remote international conference to raise aid for the country. France has pledged about €100 million ($118.3m) in emergency aid as well as 500,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses for Lebanon.
Nuns pray during a mass organised at the Beirut port with the relatives of last year's blast victims.
Nuns pray during a mass organised at the Beirut port with the relatives of last year's blast victims.
A priest comforts the relative of a blast victim at a Mass organised in Beirut.
A priest comforts the relative of a blast victim at a Mass organised in Beirut.
Families and relatives of people killed in the blast carried portraits of their loved ones to the commemoration Mass in Beirut.
Families and relatives of people killed in the blast carried portraits of their loved ones to the commemoration Mass in Beirut.
Families and relatives of victims of the explosion at Beirut port attend a Mass held to commemorate the anniversary.
Families and relatives of victims of the explosion at Beirut port attend a Mass held to commemorate the anniversary.
Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai arrives to lead a Mass in memory of people who died in the explosion.
Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai arrives to lead a Mass in memory of people who died in the explosion.
Relatives of people who died in the 2020 Beirut blast attend a Maronite Christian Mass at the city’s port.
Relatives of people who died in the 2020 Beirut blast attend a Maronite Christian Mass at the city’s port.
A relative of a victim of the blast weeps as she attends the Mass.
A relative of a victim of the blast weeps as she attends the Mass.
A fire engine carrying portraits of blast victims is driven during a remembrance ceremony at the port of Lebanon’s capital.
A fire engine carrying portraits of blast victims is driven during a remembrance ceremony at the port of Lebanon’s capital.
Relatives of the Beirut port blast victims arrive for a remembrance ceremony at the Lebanese capital’s port.
Relatives of the Beirut port blast victims arrive for a remembrance ceremony at the Lebanese capital’s port.

At least 214 people were killed and about 6,500 wounded on August 4, 2020 when a shipment of the chemical stocked at the Beirut port for years ignited and caused a massive blast.

Ammonium nitrate is an odourless crystalline substance, commonly used as a fertiliser.

When combined with fuel oils, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used in the construction industry, but also by insurgent groups for improvised exploding devices.

Lebanese authorities are still investigating the circumstances in which hundreds of tonnes of the chemical ended up in the port for years, before the explosion levelled swathes of the city.

Last week, the judge leading the investigation issued an arrest warrant for former minister of public works Youssef Fenianos after he failed to turn up for questioning on Thursday, the NNA reported.

An investigation published by Human Rights Watch in August found that Mr Fenianos had been aware that the ammonium nitrate was being stored in Beirut's port, and claimed that he continued “to mischaracterise the threat posed by the ammonium nitrate”.

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Updated: September 19, 2021, 10:24 AM
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