The colossal destruction of Beirut's port was due to the explosion of a large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse there.<br />HuffPost reports more that as of Wednesday, more than 130 people were confirmed dead, and at least 5,000 injured.<br />Videos appear to show fireworks going off in a fire shortly before the massive explosion.<br />While ammonium nitrate can't burn on its own, it can act as an accelerant. It can also explode when subjected to high temperatures in a confined space.<br />The exact cause of the incident is under investigation. Lebanon’s government has placed an unknown number of port officers under house arrest.<br />Timothy McVeigh used ammonium nitrate in the truck bomb he detonated in April 1995, outside the Oklahoma City federal building. It killed 168 people.
