NPR

Biffer wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:42 pm

robmatic wrote: Wed Aug 05, 2020 1:51 pm I'm still confused by all the minor explosions and bangs in the fire before it all went up. Were they really storing fireworks in the same building?

It sounds similar to the description of the Texas City fertiliser explosion - catches fire, burns more and more intensely, then bang.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_City_disaster

Wow, that was a good read and would probably make a decent film. Certainly has a lot of disaster special effects that played out.

Probably makes sense to store fireworks or all dangerous goods within the one place. Keep it all in one place and place extra precautions or security on the location, which is basically what everyone does anyway.
Accidents are accidents though.

.OverThere wrote: Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:00 pm Because of the hole in the wharf I think the white cloud that gives the nuclear mushroom effect is displaced water, probably steam.

It's condensation caused by the shock wave.