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Graphic shows details of damage from explosion.
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MIDDLE EAST

At least 100 dead after Beirut explosions

August 5, 2020 - Two huge explosions rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on Tuesday. Authorities said the blasts killed at least 100 people and injured more than 4,000 – a toll that is expected to rise.

Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest.

The scale of the damage – from the epicentre of the explosion at the port of Beirut to the windows blown out kilometers away – resembles other blasts involving the chemical compound commonly used as an agricultural fertiliser.

But the compound itself typically doesn’t detonate on its own and requires another ignition source. That likely came from a fire that engulfed what initially appeared to be fireworks that were stored at the port.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 05/08/2020; STORY: Graphic News
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