A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, darkening the sky and sparking panic among residents traumatized by last month’s massive explosion that killed about 190 people and injured 6,000 others.
AP reports it was not immediately clear what caused the fire at the facility, which was decimated by the Aug. 4 explosion when nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated, triggering a shock wave explosion that blasted windows, doors and walls miles away.
Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port a month after explosion
DEVELOPING: Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port a month after massive explosion. https://abcn.ws/3k551EV
Posted by ABC News Live on Thursday, 10 September 2020
A column of black smoke billowed from the port at midday Thursday, with orange flames leaping from the ground. The Lebanese army said the fire is at a warehouse where oil and tires are placed in the duty free zone at the port adding that fighting the blaze is ongoing.
Army helicopters were soon aloft joining efforts to extinguish the fire.
State-run National News Agency said the fire was at a warehouse where tires are placed. It added firefighters are dealing with the blaze.
The head of Lebanon’s Red Cross, George Kettaneh, said there was no fear of another explosion and nobody should panic, Reuters reports.
He reassured Beirut there were no injuries, although he said there were some people suffering from shortness of breath as a result and he is awaiting further details from those on the spot.
A picture taken from Dbayeh, north of Beirut, shows smoke from a huge fire raging at the port in the Lebanese capital on September 10, 2020. – Thick black columns of smoke rose into the sky, as the army said it had engulfed a warehouse storing engine oil and vehicle tyres. (JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images)
AP contributed to this report