sarinox
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Another Explosion at Port
Hello folks, another explosion has occurred at the port (April 26, 2025), and I would like to hear your expert opinions on what might have caused it.
In the attached video link, an orange-colored gas (possibly NO₂) is visible starting around 8 seconds in, followed by a massive explosion. Could
this suggest the involvement of ammonium nitrate?
I am asking because some sources report that ammonium perchlorate was stored there, while others mention sodium perchlorate (NaClO₄). Given these
conflicting reports, I would greatly appreciate your expert analysis on the possible cause.
Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqmTTf0VEOU (Watch from 8 seconds onward to see the orange gas and the subsequent explosion.)
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j_sum1
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If I was to guess, I would say ammonium nitrate, similar to the Beirut explosion a few years back.
That said, that secondary explosion looked suspiciously sodium-like.
I think the news article is hyperventilating in its attempts to link it to current tensions and sabotage. I mean, it is possible, but it is an
assertion in the absence of any evidence at this point.
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sarinox
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Hello j_sum1,
Which secondary explosion are you referring to? I think I may have missed it — if you could share a link, I would really appreciate it!
Also, could you explain why you said it suspiciously looks sodium-like? I’m curious about your reasoning.
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j_sum1
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@sarinox
At 8 seconds it looked like there was already a plume of smoke indicating something had gone up earlier. Then there was an explosion that had the
characteristic sodium-yellow colour. If course with a composite edited video with numerous cameras it is difficult to be sure about the exact
sequence of things.
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sarinox
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Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  | | If course with a composite edited video with numerous cameras it is difficult to be sure about the exact sequence of things. |
Indeed it is very difficult to be sure about the exact sequence of things and even the exact substance I have even thought maybe the oragnish gas
(possibly NO2) is leaked from a tank of NO2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2uUDJG9lsA as you can see in this video there are people who are draining the liquied NO2 tank of the Titan II
missile! So, I even theorized maybe it was not a solid chemical substance but a tank/s filled with NO2 which started to leak somehow! could that be
even plausable?
Indeed, it is very difficult to be certain about the exact sequence of events or even the exact substance involved.
I have even considered the possibility that the orangish gas (possibly NO₂) might have leaked from a tank containing liquid NO₂.
In this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2uUDJG9lsA, for example, you can see people draining a liquid NO₂ tank from a Titan II missile — it looks
quite similar.
So I also theorized that maybe it wasn’t a solid chemical substance at all, but rather a tank (or multiple tanks) filled with NO₂ that somehow
started leaking.
Could that even be plausible?
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Etanol
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Iran regularly sends weapons, explosives and its components to Russia and islam terrorists.
I think it was another shipment of ammonium perchlorate and other components for Russian rockets. Ammonium perchlorate can also form nitrogen oxide.
[Edited on 28-4-2025 by Etanol]
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sarinox
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It should also produce Cl₂, which has a distinctive yellowish-green color, right? But in those images, I can't see any such color — at least not
clearly! Or maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps Cl₂ doesn't appear as visibly in hot air because it quickly disperses and mixes with the surrounding
atmosphere?
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Deathunter88
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Can only really be ammonium perchlorate (look up footage of the 1988 PEPCON explosion in Nevada) or ammonium nitrate. Sodium perchlorate doesn't
detonate.
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Etanol
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NO,NO2,NOCl,HCl,Cl2 mix
[Edited on 28-4-2025 by Etanol]
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woelen
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I did experiments with decomposing NH4ClO4 by heating it strongly. This gives fumes with a pale brown color. A thick layer of these fumes most likely
will have a clearly visible dirty brown/yellow color. the color most likely is caused by a mix containing yellow/green Cl2 and brown/orange NO2.
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sarinox
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| Quote: Originally posted by woelen | | I did experiments with decomposing NH4ClO4 by heating it strongly. This gives fumes with a pale brown color. A thick layer of these fumes most likely
will have a clearly visible dirty brown/yellow color. the color most likely is caused by a mix containing yellow/green Cl2 and brown/orange NO2.
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Hello Woelen,
So, is your final verdict that it could have been ammonium perchlorate? As I mentioned earlier, reports have varied, largely due to the unclear
policies of the Iranian government. Some sources claim it was ammonium perchlorate, others suggest sodium perchlorate. Personally, I suspect it might
have been ammonium nitrate—or perhaps even leaking gas tanks or bottles of N₂O₄ that came into contact with a fuel source, though I believe that
scenario is quite unlikely.
I’d really appreciate hearing your final thoughts on this. For a clearer view of the gases involved, you may want to check this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9AGJCAkEy4 @1:45
[Edited on 29-4-2025 by sarinox]
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Deathunter88
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After some more research, I am now almost 100% positive it is ammonium perchlorate, and not ammonium nitrate or sodium perchlorate. Here's why:
In all ammonium nitrate explosions I can find, the smoke produced by the fire is gray before the explosion. Only after detonation is the red-brown NO2
cloud produced.
Referenced explosions:
-Beirut explosion
-West fertilizer explosion
In the ammonium perchlorate explosion footage from the PEPCON disaster, the smoke is red-brown before the explosion, just like the Iran footage.
Referenced explosion:
-PEPCON
Sodium perchlorate doesn't have the nitrogen needed to form the red-brown NO2 gas, so we can rule that out entirely.
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