The Prime Minister expects a report before September 15

Photo: kmu.gov.ua

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmyhal requested until September 15 to verify the conditions of storage of ammonium nitrate. The order followed the explosion on the evening of 4 August in the port of Beirut, said the press service of the Cabinet on 6 August.

Smigel instructed to conduct an unscheduled inspection of observance of the legislation in the sphere of labor protection, industrial and fire safety in business entities that store ammonium nitrate in bulk and use it in the production of calcium nitrate, complex material and liquid fertilizers.

The order of the Prime Minister of Ukraine addressed to the Minister of infrastructure of Ukraine Vladislav Crickley, the head of the State service of Ukraine for emergency situations Nikolay Chechetkina, acting head of the State service of Ukraine on labour of Saienko Vitaly, the head of the National police of Ukraine Igor Klimenko, heads of regional and Kyiv city state administration.

Ukraine 5 August, has offered to provide all possible assistance to Lebanon in connection with the explosion at the port of Beirut. According to the head of the foreign Ministry of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba already received a request from the Lebanese side of what is now most needed. He also said that “Ukraine will help the Lebanese than I can.”

A powerful explosion in the port of Beirut occurred on the evening of 4 August. Close to the port areas of Lebanon’s capital damaged or destroyed many buildings. Reuters wrote, citing eyewitnesses that the explosion was of such force that it was felt even the residents of the capital Nicosia, which is located almost 200 km from Beirut. The television channel Al Jazeera reported that the blast the cars threw him into the roof of the plant about three floors.

The victims were at least 135 people, about 5 thousand wounded and dozens missing.

The Governor of the Lebanese capital, Marwan Abboud said that the explosion left homeless and up to 300 thousand people. He estimated the damage from the occurrence, at $3-5 billion.

According to preliminary information, the explosion occurred in a warehouse of ammonium nitrate after the fire, caused by welding operations.

According to Reuters, Lebanese officials ignored the proposals of customs to re-export or sale 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate seized from the vessel Rhosus in the port of Beirut. As told the interlocutor of the Agency, a team of inspectors warned that if nitrate is not taken out, “the could take the whole Beirut”.

The ship Rhosus is owned by Russian businessman Igor Grechushkina. In 2014, it transported the ammonium nitrate in one of the African countries, but because of debts the cargo was confiscated in Beirut.