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CatastropheLebanon

The Beirut Explosion - A Search for Answers

July 27, 2026

On 4 August 2020, some 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate destroyed the Port of Beirut. The explosion killed over 200 people and devastated large parts of the capital city.

A helicopter drops water on a large fire as thick black smoke rises above destroyed industrial structures and debris. The image captures emergency response efforts following the devastating Beirut port explosion and highlights the scale of the disaster. Keywords: Beirut explosion, Beirut port, fire, smoke, disaster, Lebanon, firefighting helicopter, destruction.
Image: Ampersand

It was one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history.

Image: Ampersand

To this day, the causes of this disaster remain unclear, and the official investigation has stalled. That's why citizens have launched their own inquiries. They seek to reconstruct a tragedy that may have also been a crime.

Image: Ampersand

Examining opaque procedures and warnings that were ignored, they attempt to break the silence. 

The investigation traces the path of a ticking time bomb that should never have made its way to Lebanon.

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