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It’s interesting to note how much the grain silos changed the shape of the blast. The damage behind the silos is almost immediately reduced, even in this set of images.

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And it's amazing that parts of the silo are still standing considering how close it was to the explosion's epicenter.

See pictures from the American midwest where after a tornado sometimes the only thing left standing is water towers and grain silos.

Something weird aerodynamically about upright tubes and vortex shedding or something like that.

Grain silos are actually built to withstand explosions. I am not an expert but I was explained as a kid that stored grain can create static electricity discharges that can result in self-ignition.

Wow, after reading your comment I started digging a bit and found this video from 2014. Those small explosions in the grain elevator look very similar to the explosions that happened before the big one in Beirut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDLkMDJXl_0

And a few more grain silo explosions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=794raoRHCzs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFc-JoJSJr0

https://www.kplctv.com/story/38545088/video-captures-moments...

Man, those things just love to explode. I didn't know that.

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