[–] ardvarcus ago (edited ago)
Officials have blamed the explosion on stored ammonium nitrate in a warehouse at the port facility, but have launched an investigation to officially determine the cause.
From another Web site:
Ammonium nitrate is a common industrial chemical used mainly for fertiliser because it is a good source of nitrogen for plants. It is also one of the main components in mining explosives.
It is not explosive on its own, rather it is an oxidiser, drawing oxygen to a fire – and therefore making it much more intense, according to Gabriel da Silva, a senior lecturer in chemical engineering at the University of Melbourne.
However, da Silva said, it ignites only under the right circumstances, and these are difficult to achieve. “You need extreme circumstances to set off an explosion,” he said.
While ammonium nitrate can in fact put out a fire, if the chemical itself is contaminated, for example with oil, it becomes highly explosive. “I think that’s what’s happened here,” said da Silva. ...
“If you look at the smoke that came from the blast it’s this kind of blood red colour. That’s because of the nitrogen oxide air pollutants in it,” he said.
[–] Blood-is-Nature ago
Is it "create the problem; offer the solution" or "commit the crime; enslave the victims"?