A major fire broke out in the port of Beirut. Residents of the city are holding their heart: a few weeks ago, a supply of ammonium nitrate exploded in the Lebanese capital. According to the Lebanese president, this is either sabotage or an accident.
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The images from Beirut show a huge, pitch-black plume of smoke rising above the city. According to a civil defense spokesperson, it is a port container that caught fire. It is not known exactly what the contents are and what cause the fire. According to the Lebanese Defense, this is a storage place for oil and tires. Helicopters with water are currently trying to extinguish the fire. The army has also been deployed to evacuate local residents.
The fire is due to an act of ‘sabotage’, ‘technical error’ or ‘negligence’, said Lebanese President Michel Aoen. “In any case, the cause must be known as soon as possible and those responsible must be accountable.”
Photo: REUTERS
The fire also raged in a warehouse where the Red Cross stocked food aid. The aid organization fears disruption to its humanitarian operations after the devastating explosion (s) on August 4 in the port of Beirut.
Bad memory
In any case, it is a shock for the inhabitants of the city. In early August, a large stock of the highly explosive ammonium nitrate exploded in the port. A gigantic shock wave blew through the city and destroyed many buildings. More than 190 people died. Some 6,500 others were injured.
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