The Beirut Port Explosion: Destruction of Destruction

Overview

The Beirut port explosion on 4 August 2020 ripped through the city, destroying 70,000 homes and much of the port area and leaving over 300,000 people homeless. Caused by the detonation of vast quantities of ammonium nitrate improperly stored in a warehouse by the port, the blast sent powerful shockwaves through the city. The silos, located just 75 metres from the epicentre of the explosion, became a site of ruin. Since the explosion, these ruins have loomed large in the city’s skyline as a constant reminder of the devastation that followed the blast. For some, the ruins of the silos also evoke the persistent lack of accountability for the tragedy, and are a potential source of valuable evidence.