Lebanese army finds 4 tons of ammonium nitrate near Beirut port

BEIRUT — The Lebanese military discovers more than 4 tons of ammonium nitrate near Beirut’s port, a chilling reminder of the horrific explosion a month ago that killed 191 people.

According to the military, army experts were called in for an inspection and found 4.35 tons of the dangerous chemical in four containers stored near the port. There are no details on the origin of the chemicals or their owner.

The find comes almost exactly a month after nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut’s port for six years detonated, wreaking death and destruction. Along with 191 people killed, more than 6,000 were injured and entire neighborhoods were devastated. The blast left nearly 300,000 people homeless and caused damage worth billions of dollars.

The military statement says that customs officials had called in the army to inspect containers at a facility near the port, where they found 4.35 tons of ammonium nitrate. It says army experts were “dealing with the material,” an apparent implication that it was being destroyed.

— AP