Two days after unsafely stored ammonium nitrate killed at least 135 people and injured thousands in Beirut, serious concerns have been raised about nearly 700 tonnes of the explosive chemical that has remained in storage for years under the custody of the Customs Department, outside Tamil Nadu capital Chennai.
“Around 36 containers, each with around 20 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, have been shifted long time ago and now they are under the Customs Department’s control,” an officer from the Public Relations Department said.
“There is a risk of a similar explosion. To avert that the explosives ought to be disposed safely and used for manufacture of fertilizers and other needs,” he tweeted.
About 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were stored in the Beirut port warehouse that exploded Tuesday, devastating large parts of the Lebanese capital. Early investigations blamed negligence for the explosion at the Beirut port.
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