Beirut explosion: former port worker says fireworks stored in hangar

the gaurdian ^ | 7 Aug 2020 | Martin Chulov in Beirut, Michael Safi in Amman and Peter Beaumont in London

[BenLurkin]

A second source has confirmed the fireworks’ presence, which was also the subject of media reports in Lebanon on Friday.

The claim that fireworks were being stored in the same warehouse as the ammonium nitrate appears to be confirmed by phone footage, apparently filmed by a port worker from the roof of the grain silos that overlooked the seat of the biggest blast – now a 150-metre-wide crater of seawater.

In the brief section of footage posted on social media, a long warehouse – running parallel to the grain silo and separated by a road – is visible, with smoke coming out of the windows on its west side and from the roof.

Geotagging by the investigative website Bellingcat and the Guardian, and comparison of features, strongly suggests that this warehouse is located at the very centre of the devastating blast –locating the initial fire and subsequent explosions in the same area of warehousing.

As the person on the silo roof films the north end of the warehouse from their vantage point, the smoke thickens and then a dozen or so white flashes can be seen occurring in rapid succession inside, triggering thicker red flames that quickly spread southwards before detonating a major explosion in the building within seconds that causes the person filming to duck for cover.

Shehadi said he had spoken to former colleagues at the port who said workers were attempting to fix a gate outside warehouse 12 with an electrical tool ahead of the blast. “This was at 5pm, and after 30 minutes they saw smoke.

A video posted to social media depicted firefighters tackling a small blaze in a warehouse that resembled a port building. “It is my belief that this repair work led to this catastrophe,” Shehadi said.

[Bulwyf]

https://mobile.twitter.com/qanon_report/status/1291399472522702855?s=10

Have a look, the size of that blast far out weighs what ammonium nitrate would do. There was 100% a plasma ball, and no need for a flash for a small device like that.

[Zathras]

Sure sounds like fireworks or possibly stored ammo.