Custom officials warned of the “serious danger” posed by the ammonium nitrate stockpile at Beirut’s port years before yesterday’s explosion, documents unearthed by Al Jazeera have shown.
Lebanese officials have pointed to the chemicals as a possible cause of the blast, which has killed at least 100 people and injured thousands.
The cargo of ammonium nitrate is understood to have arrived in Lebanon in 2013 and custom officials sent at least five letters to judges between 2014 and 2017 asking for guidance on what to do with the chemicals.
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A letter from 2016 reported by Al Jazeera today said there had been no reply to the requests for help.
“In view of the serious danger of keeping these goods in the hangar in unsuitable climatic conditions, we reaffirm our request to please request the marine agency to re-export these goods immediately to preserve the safety of the port and those working in it, or to look into agreeing to sell this amount,” the letter said, as reported by Al Jazeera.
There were reportedly three options suggested for dealing with the cargo – exporting it, giving it to the Lebanese Army or selling it to the privately-owned Lebanese Explosives Company.
Source: Independent
