The Beirut Port Explosion: Forensic Architecture
December 3, 2020 9:03 AM Subscribe
"Mr Collett contended that from an engineering perspective, the arrangement of goods within the building was the spatial layout of a makeshift bomb on the scale of a warehouse, awaiting detonation." Forensic Architecture, a research group based at the University of London, investigates the Beirut Port explosion and publishes its findings. (Forensic Architecture previously on the blue)
Their methodology includes using images and videos taken by others of the fires and explosions, synchronizing the videos using the unique shapes of particular smoke plumes. In addition to the information on their site, they've published their 3D models on Github.
FA has also done a number of other investigations worth looking at.
Their methodology includes using images and videos taken by others of the fires and explosions, synchronizing the videos using the unique shapes of particular smoke plumes. In addition to the information on their site, they've published their 3D models on Github.
FA has also done a number of other investigations worth looking at.
Wow. That video, and the research that went into it, is indeed impressive.
TL;DR: the ammonium nitrate itself was stored in an unsafe amount and configuration. It was also stored directly next to shipments of flammable tires, fireworks (!!), and slow-burning detonation cord (!!!). This despite years of warnings from experts about the hazard.
This research can't bring back the lives of those who died needlessly, but I hope it helps the survivors find some justice.
posted by ourobouros at 11:01 AM on December 3, 2020 [4 favorites]
TL;DR: the ammonium nitrate itself was stored in an unsafe amount and configuration. It was also stored directly next to shipments of flammable tires, fireworks (!!), and slow-burning detonation cord (!!!). This despite years of warnings from experts about the hazard.
This research can't bring back the lives of those who died needlessly, but I hope it helps the survivors find some justice.
posted by ourobouros at 11:01 AM on December 3, 2020 [4 favorites]
This is really impressive forensic reconstruction based on available images and footage. Such a sad event, hopefully this analysis will help justice and healing processes.
posted by meinvt at 11:41 AM on December 3, 2020
posted by meinvt at 11:41 AM on December 3, 2020
Love Forensic Architecture, love Mada Masr.
posted by Corduroy at 12:43 PM on December 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Corduroy at 12:43 PM on December 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
That video is like one of those sculptures where the artist knew when there was nothing left to take away.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 1:00 PM on December 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 1:00 PM on December 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
Good stuff. Reminds me of:
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" by Richard P. Feynman as told to Ralph Leighton
Chapter Los Alamos from Below
Emil Segrè visits Oak Ridge Uranium purification plant:
He said, "Uh, you're going to handle it like that when it's purified too? Is that what you're going to do?"
They said, "Sure--why not?"
"Won't it explode?" he said.
Huh! Explode?
Then the army said, "You see! We shouldn't have let any information get to them! Now they are all upset."
It turned out that the army had realized how much stuff we needed to make a bomb--twenty kilograms or whatever it was--and they realized that this much material, purified, would never be in the plant, so there was no danger. But they did not know that the neutrons were enormously more effective when they are slowed down in water. In water it takes less than a tenth--no, a hundredth--as much material to make a reaction that makes radioactivity. It kills people around and so on. It was very dangerous, and they had not paid any attention to the safety at all.
. . .
Feynman follows up
At any rate, I arrived at Oak Ridge. The first thing I did was have them take me to the plant, and I said nothing. I just looked at everything. I found out that the situation was even worse than Segrè reported, because he noticed certain boxes in big lots in a room, but he didn't notice a lot of boxes in another room on the other side of the same wall--and things like that. Now, if you have too much stuff together, it goes up, you see.
posted by BobTheScientist at 1:41 PM on December 3, 2020 [5 favorites]
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" by Richard P. Feynman as told to Ralph Leighton
Chapter Los Alamos from Below
Emil Segrè visits Oak Ridge Uranium purification plant:
He said, "Uh, you're going to handle it like that when it's purified too? Is that what you're going to do?"
They said, "Sure--why not?"
"Won't it explode?" he said.
Huh! Explode?
Then the army said, "You see! We shouldn't have let any information get to them! Now they are all upset."
It turned out that the army had realized how much stuff we needed to make a bomb--twenty kilograms or whatever it was--and they realized that this much material, purified, would never be in the plant, so there was no danger. But they did not know that the neutrons were enormously more effective when they are slowed down in water. In water it takes less than a tenth--no, a hundredth--as much material to make a reaction that makes radioactivity. It kills people around and so on. It was very dangerous, and they had not paid any attention to the safety at all.
. . .
Feynman follows up
At any rate, I arrived at Oak Ridge. The first thing I did was have them take me to the plant, and I said nothing. I just looked at everything. I found out that the situation was even worse than Segrè reported, because he noticed certain boxes in big lots in a room, but he didn't notice a lot of boxes in another room on the other side of the same wall--and things like that. Now, if you have too much stuff together, it goes up, you see.
posted by BobTheScientist at 1:41 PM on December 3, 2020 [5 favorites]
Oh man, those videos shot right up close to the warehouse before it blew. What happened to those people?
posted by gottabefunky at 2:56 PM on December 3, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by gottabefunky at 2:56 PM on December 3, 2020 [4 favorites]
Oh man, those videos shot right up close to the warehouse before it blew. What happened to those people?
I wonder about that with every video I have seen of this, even from fairly far back.
The forensic video is impressive.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:10 PM on December 3, 2020
I wonder about that with every video I have seen of this, even from fairly far back.
The forensic video is impressive.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:10 PM on December 3, 2020
I just watched their The Killing Of Mark Duggan video, and damn, are they thorough.
(Mark Duggan, previously)
posted by scruss at 5:39 PM on December 3, 2020
(Mark Duggan, previously)
posted by scruss at 5:39 PM on December 3, 2020
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