Chinese Gov't Launches Nationwide Inspection Of Explosives Stockpile After Beirut Blast

BEIJING (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2020) The Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management said on Wednesday it had ordered an immediate nationwide security check of all warehouses with explosive chemical products on the back of the deadly explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.�

Late on Tuesday, Beirut was hit by an exceptionally powerful explosion, which sent shock waves across a good half of the city. The toll of casualties gets updated continuously, with 113 people currently confirmed killed and more than 4,000 others injured. The government believes the blast was caused by irregularities in the storage of a massive batch of explosives � some 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate � in a warehouse at the Beirut port.

"China is one of the world's leaders in chemical industry: an enormous amount of dangerous chemicals are stored in ports, warehouses and cargo vessels. The related security risks are continuously growing. The blast in Lebanon was yet another alarm signal," the ministry said in a statement, adding that "we need to immediately launch a nationwide security inspection of storage conditions of hazardous chemicals, especially in ports, warehouses and industrial parks."

The ministry said it ordered local authorities to conduct a security risk assessment in warehouses storing ammonium nitrate and other explosive chemicals in their respective jurisdictions.

In 2015, the northern Chinese port of Tianjin was hit by a twin explosion of hazardous chemicals in one of its warehouses due to deficient storage conditions. The blast left 165 people killed and 798 others injured, while eight count missing. Its direct economic damage counts 6.8 billion Yuan ($1.1 billion).