Beirut

[fish]

My heart goes out to the people of Beirut.


Whoever would store 2700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the one place?


As it happens, Australia stores around 6,000 to 12,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the city of Newcastle north of Sydney in New South Wales. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-05/beirut-blast-raises-concern-about-newcastle-ammonium-nitrate/12527546

My understanding is that if this amount detonated it would cause an explosion around one fifth the size of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
Seems appropriate that 75 years ago today Hiroshima was destroyed by that bomb.

Why are nations putting their citizens at such risk?

[Owen]

Good luck about the ammonium nitrate in Newcastle...
The Beyrut explosion is not without precedent. In fact, in 2001, there was an explosion in Toulouse, France, in the AZF fertilizer factory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toulouse_chemical_factory_explosion
Only 300 tonnes were there. "The entire factory was destroyed, making a crater with a depth of about 7 metres (23 ft) and a diameter of 40 metres (130 ft). Steel girders were found 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from the explosion." (from the linked article)

There were other industrial accidents in the past too... Oppau for example, 20000 tonnes of fertilizer exploded, 500 to 600 people died.

Shouldn't the authorities question the methods of storage or the public danger that this substance represents? Leaves one wondering.

[fish]

I remember the AZF explosion in Toulouse.
Such unnecessary death and destruction.

In a previous career I went on a "bomb detection" course with the Federal Police. A tiny amount of ammonium nitrate was detonated in the form of "Powergel (I think it was), in a disused quarry.
The actual explosion, although very small, was terrifying.
Apparently the Newcastle explosives are used by the mining industry rather than just "stored". Not that that makes them any safer.
I believe there have been public protests about the proximity to urban areas, but as far as I can tell no action has been taken by authorities.

...Leaves one wondering.

I certainly wonder at who is supposedly keeping us "safe".

[Owen]

I believe there have been public protests about the proximity to urban areas, but as far as I can tell no action has been taken by authorities.

I think it is only a matter for evaluating risks: the storages don't explose so often, so there's no interest in taking any action. They will do something if the (financial) losses are greater without taking action, than with taking it.
The history of incidents linked to ammonium nitrate proves it. There were several explosions in ports, the most recent one being in China in 2015...

[fish]

...They will do something if the (financial) losses are greater without taking action, than with taking it...

Perhaps the greatest driver for innovation in business.
Money.