Why is 'ammonium nitrate' being blamed for explosion in Beirut?
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The explosion in Beirut has been blamed on thousands of tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate, the chemical used in fertilisers and explosives. Lebanon's PM, Hassan Diab, said 2700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded after it was lying in an unsecured warehouse for 6 years. A ship carrying a similar quantity of the chemical had unloaded its cargo at the Beirut port as far back as 2013. However, the cause of ignition is still a mystery.