Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Around 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate is reportedly stored at a warehouse in Manali on the outskirts of Chennai, raising safety concerns in the aftermath of the Beirut tragedy.
The large amount of chemical, which was imported by a Karur-based chemicals firm in 2015, was later seized by Customs officials for want of necessary clearance.
All 37 containers laden with ammonium nitrate were then stored in the freight terminal of Customs at Manali in the outskirts of North Chennai.
The stored chemical had reportedly triggered the massive explosions in Beirut which left over hundred people dead, besides injuring thousands.
Soon after the Beirut explosion, the top brass of the customs officials in the state have sounded an alert to enumerate the ammonium nitrate stock in their ports in the state.
Customs sources said the freight station which holds the stock is a non-residential area and all safety protocols have been followed in the storage to ensure the safety of the chemical.
The customs officials said they were also in the process of e-auctioning the chemical.
"After a legal battle at the Madras High Court, the customs received court's directions to e-auction the seized chemical", the official said.
Read: Lebanese Red Cross: Toll from Beirut blast rises to 100 dead
What is ammonium nitrate?
- Ammonium nitrate is stored in the form of small white porous pellets (prills), made in industrial quantities, as a source of nitrogen for producing fertilisers.
- It also used to create explosives for mining and other purposes.
- It does not burn on its own. However, it can act as a source of oxygen that can accelerate the combustion of other materials.
- Due to this quality, it is widely used in mining explosives, where it's mixed with oil and other fuels, where atmospheric oxygen levels are much lower.
