In the summer of 2020, Lebanon had already been experiencing some of its worst days, due to a deepening financial crisis and the global pandemic. On August 4, things took a much darker turn. Hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonated at the Beirut port, ripping through the capital and wreaking havoc. More than 200 people were killed and thousands injured. It destroyed homes, overwhelmed the city and shattered livelihoods.
This week, to mark the fifth anniversary of the Beirut explosion, Beyond the Headlines is revisiting a mini-series published in 2021, a year after the incident. It’s a four-part investigation that follows the events before, during and after that fateful day.
The Blast Episode 1: The Russian and the Rhosus
How did the dangerous material end up in Beirut’s port in the first place? It starts with a ship and its Russian captain, Boris Prokoshev. He speaks about the ill-fated voyage from the start, how a detour brought him and his crew to Beirut, and how they got stuck there.
The Blast Episode 2: The six-year wait
After the cargo was moved to a warehouse at the port, it sat there for years. This episode connects the dots to understand why the chemical, commonly used in fertilisers and explosives, was neglected for so long. We hear from officials and workers at the port, and we try to establish who knew about the ammonium nitrate all this time, and whose responsibility it was to make sure it was safe.
The Blast Episode 3: Zero hour
Ghassan Hassrouty was working with his colleagues at the port’s grain silos. Sarah Copland, an Australian UN employee, was feeding her son Isaac, 2. And then, it’s zero hour, the moment the blast tore through the city on August 4, 2020. This episode tells that story through witness accounts of people who were there.
The Blast Episode 4: Fallout
In the aftermath of the blast, residents took to the streets to sweep the shards of glass and piles of rubble. Meanwhile, politicians bickered and resigned. Judges were appointed to investigate the blast but one year on, had yet to publish their case. In this series finale we hear how people feel about their politicians, their country and their lives a year later.
Editor’s Note: Join us for a live Q&A with reporters who witnessed the port explosion and continue to follow the fallout of that fateful day.
August 4th 2025, 3 pm (Lebanon), 4 pm (UAE)
Register now to watch live or to receive a recording: Beirut blast: 5 years on
