Ammonium nitrate stored for five years was found in another country’s port

Following the explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate in Lebanon, 700 tons of ammonium nitrate were also found in Chennai Port in southern India, which had been stored for 5 years.

The Indian government stated on August 8 that after ammonium nitrate triggered a big explosion at the Beirut port in Lebanon, relevant Indian authorities also found 700 tons of ammonium nitrate in Chennai Port in southern India. They were imported from South Korea in 2015 and have been stored in the port for 5 years. .

According to a report from Agence France-Presse on August 8, New Delhi said on the same day that after a large-scale explosion occurred in the Beirut port area of Lebanon on the 4th, India also investigated dangerous substances stored in domestic ports. It was found that nearly 700 tons of ammonium nitrate were also stored in Chennai Port in southern India. It is said that this batch of ammonium nitrate was imported from South Korea in 2015.

The Indian government stated that in 2015, an Indian company imported 37 containers of ammonium nitrate from South Korea as agricultural fertilizer. However, the customs authorities discovered that this batch of ammonium nitrate was actually used to manufacture explosives and immediately detained them.

Agence France-Presse reported that a local customs official in Chennai tried to dispel people's concerns. He explained that the chemical was harmless and the auction process was in progress. The official emphasized that the seized substances have been safely stored and will not pose a threat to the safety of citizens.

Up to now, the explosion in the Beirut port area in Lebanon has killed 154 people and injured more than 5,000. Initial investigations revealed that the accident was caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored for six years.

Ammonium nitrate is commonly used in chemical fertilizers and chemical raw materials, and ammonium nitrate with high nitrogen content can be used in the production of civilian explosives. There have been many explosion accidents caused by ammonium nitrate in the past few decades. When mixed with fuel oil, ammonium nitrate is a powerful explosive.

In 1995, the Oklahoma Federal Building in the United States was attacked by a car ammonium nitrate bomb, causing 168 deaths and 680 injuries. In 2011, the government office building and a newspaper in Oslo, Norway were attacked by ammonium nitrate bombs, killing 7 people and injuring 15 people.