It was clearly detonated with high explosives. I’m not sure the captured sodium nitrate was what blew up.
This is Lebanon, Hezbollah is probably responsible for this. Or a stupid mistake of the Iranian elements in the region.
Just talked to a guy I know from the UP of Mich who worked on a blasting crew at one of the iron ore mines.
Said that that crap would not go off unless it is mixed with something-its fertilizer, and had an catylist to get it going.
But, he said it could go off if its stored in containers and had something to set it off. A spark Might set it off but he doubted that.
They used to use that stuff and pour it into 50 foot deep hole by 16 inches wide and then they put two caps down the hole at the 15 foot and 30 foot level. They then would cap the hole with crushed rock and the holes were 50 to 60 feet apart. They’d shoot over one mile of rock-enough for the mine to work for one week. All that rock ended up the size of grapefruit.
Everyone knows what they mixed it with.
If they wanted a stronger shot, they add aluminum ++++++++ to it.
So what happened I bet, is the terrorist were playing around with ammunition there and a fire broke out and it got set off.
I would bet that Hezbollah, etc, will be really welcomed round there now.