BEIRUT: A massive fire is raging at Beirut Port, a little more than a month after a huge explosion devastated its facilities and surrounding area.
The head of Lebanon’s Red Cross, George Kettaneh, said there was no fear of another explosion as a result of the flames and said there were no injuries, although he said there were some people suffering from shortness of breath as a result.
There was no immediate information about what caused Thursday’s fire, which sent a large column of black smoke into the sky. The Lebanese army said the blaze was at a warehouse where oil and tyres are placed in the port’s duty free zone.
Several workers told local media that there had been clearance efforts under way inside the warehouse to remove debris from last month’s explosion, at which point the fire caught.
Helicopters deployed
Army helicopters were taking part in efforts to extinguish the fire. Local TV stations said companies that have offices near the port have asked their employees to leave the area. Panicked residents cracked open windows and called each other to warn them of the new fire.
Some 191 people were killed and more than wounded when 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were stored in a port warehouse for almost seven years exploded on 4 August.