Fact check: Beirut blast wasn't a nuclear explosion as floated by conspiracy theorists
The explosion in Beirut on Wednesday, August 5, sent shockwaves across the world as nearly an entire city was leveled within minutes. As news of the blast spread, nuclear conspiracy theorists began speculating on the nature of the blast, with many suggesting it was a nuclear explosion. Although the explosion in the capital city was reported to be a fifth of the power of the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima, the current blast was not nuclear in nature.
Initial reports emerging from the National News Agency had suggested that the blast could be linked to a firecracker warehouse in the city's port. However, many began pointing that the mushroom cloud formed over the site of the blast was suggestive of it being a nuclear explosion. Former ESPN reporter Chris Palmer, on Twitter, wrote: "The mushroom cloud forms outside the factory. There is no question that was an atomic bomb. That is a controlled detonation. If every firework went off at the same time it wouldn’t do that. A fireworks factory exploding wouldn’t blow out windows 10 miles away." Palmer later deleted the tweet, however, by then, thousands of people had retweeted it.
Even President Donald Trump, in his tweet, suggested that the explosion could have been a bomb. Trump, at a press briefing, reportedly said: "I met with some of our great generals and they seemed to feel that it was. This was not some kind of a manufacturing explosion type of event. This was a, seems to be, according to them, they would know better than I would, but they seem to think it was an attack. It was a bomb of some kind."
Reports of Israel potentially attacking a Hezbollah weapons base in the capital were also circulated by conspiracy theorists on social media. The Israeli government, however, soon released a statement, saying it had "nothing to do" with the blast. The country, instead, has reached out to provide humanitarian aid to Beirut. The Israel Defense Forces, in a tweet, wrote: "This is the time to transcend conflict."
The explosion has now been established by the Lebanon government to be linked with dangerous chemicals stored at a port in the country's capital. The force of the explosion shredded buildings, roofs, and windows, bringing everything down to rubbles. The blast is believed to have been sparked when a welder caused a fire at the port, which spread to a warehouse storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for nearly six years. The ammonium nitrate stored in the warehouse had reportedly been kept there after being seized from a ship from Russia.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab, at a defense council meeting, said: "It is unacceptable that a shipment of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate has been present for six years in a warehouse, without taking preventive measures. It is unacceptable and we cannot remain silent on this issue." Diab, in a televised speech, also vowed to hold those responsible for the blast accountable. He said that they would "pay the price… I promise you that this catastrophe will not pass without accountability."