The colossal destruction of Beirut’s port was due to the explosion of a large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse there.
HuffPost reports more that as of Wednesday, more than 130 people were confirmed dead, and at least 5,000 injured.
Videos appear to show fireworks going off in a fire shortly before the massive explosion.
While ammonium nitrate can’t burn on its own, it can act as an accelerant. It can also explode when subjected to high temperatures in a confined space.
The exact cause of the incident is under investigation. Lebanon’s government has placed an unknown number of port officers under house arrest.
Timothy McVeigh used ammonium nitrate in the truck bomb he detonated in April 1995, outside the Oklahoma City federal building. It killed 168 people.
