Abstract
A massive chemical detonation occurred on August 4, 2020 in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon. An uncontrolled fire in an adjacent warehouse ignited ~2,750 tons of Ammonium Nitrate (AN), producing one of the most devastating blasts in recent history. The blast supersonic pressure and heat wave claimed the lives of 220 people and injured more than 6,500 instantaneously, with severe damage to the nearby dense residential and commercial areas. This review represents one of the in-depth reports to provide a detailed analysis of the Beirut blast and its health and environmental implications. It further reviews prior AN incidents and suggests actionable recommendations and strategies to optimize chemical safety measures, improve emergency preparedness, and mitigate the delayed clinical effects of blast and toxic gas exposures. These recommended actionable steps offer a starting point for government officials and policymakers to build frameworks, adopt regulations, and implement chemical safety protocols to ensure safe storage of hazardous materials as well as reorganizing healthcare system disaster preparedness to improve emergency preparedness in response to similar large-scale disasters and promote population safety. Future clinical efforts should involve detailed assessment of physical injuries sustained by blast victims, with systemic mitigation and possible treatment of late blast effects involving individuals, communities and the region at large.
Highlights
Chemical explosions cause large disasters and civilian mass casualties
Committee activities may include developing tools, training programs, and resources to strengthen emergency response at the level of the Lebanese Civil Defense, ministries, and municipalities. This could include sharing information with first responders to build their capacity in planning and responding to similar incidents, reviewing all policies and regulations associated with chemical safety and security, issuing clear guiding documents to educate and raise the awareness of all stakeholders, and coordinating information sharing across the intergovernmental entities communities
This paper provides an overview of the health and environmental implications of the Beirut explosion
Summary
Chemical explosions cause large disasters and civilian mass casualties. Throughout history, chemical explosions, those caused by Ammonium Nitrate (AN) have caused tragedies with devastating human and infrastructure loss, disturbing all functional aspects of affected communities [1, 2]. Disaster Acute Management The unique characteristics of the Beirut disaster imposed a series of challenges to local tertiary hospitals ranging from the provision of acute care and management to the mass casualties to the anticipation of the chronic effects of the blast overpressure and toxic gas exposure. Thousands of Beirut disaster victims presented to local hospitals for injury acute management These victims experienced various mechanisms of blast injuries caused by the explosion pressure and heat wave. Environmental and health concerns continue over chemical substances stored at the damaged port warehouses, including 9.5 tons of Class I insecticides which disappeared completely after the blast, along with small amounts of picric acid and methanol, according to the International Environmental Emergency Coordination Cell. In the case of fire, it is recommended by the manufacturer to, first, open up the storage area to provide maximum ventilation, and secondly, to evacuate all personnel to a minimum of 1,000 m away from the site to save first responders and prevent death
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
