2,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate may be stored in the port of Kalmar - behind the explosion in Beirut

Swedish Agro has a permit to store up to 2,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate at Tjärhovet in Kalmar. Something that the Barometer was the first to tell.

The massive explosion in Beirut is said to be due to 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate starting to burn. According to the rescue service in Kalmar, the risk that something like this could happen here is minimal.

- If companies follow the laws and regulations that exist in Sweden, it should not be possible. But you can never say never, the risk of sabotage always exists, says Mattias Andersson, unit manager for prevention at Kalmar fire brigade.

Ammonium nitrate is a fertilizer used in agriculture.

- Our goal is to have as low levels in stock as possible. We have often sold quite large volumes even before the boats come in and drive it out almost immediately. It is rare that everything goes straight into the warehouse, says Mats Jönsson, vice president at Swedish Agro.

They follow the regulations and regulations.

- We store it within a fenced area, locked and without other flammable materials in the same warehouse. We have sprinkler systems and automatic alarms directly to SOS should anything happen.

The conditions in Beirut were special. It takes several things to go wrong for there to be an explosion of that kind.

- There must be no combustible material nearby, says Mattias Andersson.

If a fire occurs for a long time and the substance is trapped, there is a risk of an explosion.

- But ammonium nitrate is not stored in Kalmar or in Sweden. The company here has a very high security thinking about this and personally I am not worried.

The rescue service supervises the operations in the port. There are several dangerous substances stored there, such as petrol and other flammable liquids. Firefighters regularly practice on different scenarios that according to risk analyzes could take place in the port.

- The biggest risk is fire and that toxic fire gases draw in over the city, but there is also a risk of explosion.