BEIRUT — 2020 · Major Tragedy
Beirut Port Explosion
On 4 August 2020 around 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, stored unsafely for years in a warehouse at Beirut's port, exploded. In one of the largest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded, more than 200 people died, thousands were injured and some 300,000 were left homeless. The material had been unloaded in 2014 from a ship that arrived in 2013 and left there despite warnings to senior officials. The investigation led by Judge Tarek Bitar was halted for long periods by lawsuits from former ministers and political pressure. Families are still waiting for accountability.
- Date
- 2020
- Place
- Beirut, Lebanon, Beirut, LB
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Under Investigation
- Coordinates
- 33.9013, 35.5195 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 2014Ammonium nitrate was unloaded from a ship into a port warehouse.
- 4 August 2020The ammonium nitrate exploded; more than 200 people died.
- December 2021Judge Bitar's investigation was halted by lawsuits.
- January 2023Bitar tried to resume the probe; obstruction continued.
Sources
- Human Rights Watch — They Killed Us from the Inside hrw.org ↗
- Al Jazeera — Five years later, justice feels a bit closer aljazeera.com ↗
- Human Rights Watch
- Al Jazeera
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.