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Lebanon – The extinction of a large fire in the devastated port of Beirut affected humanitarian aid – weeks after the explosion of the same port
11.09.2020
About 20 hours after its outbreak, firefighters were put out on Friday morning. 09/11/2020 The huge fire that broke out in the devastated port of Beirut and affected humanitarian aid in a country still living under the impact of the explosion that witnessed this main facility in early August 2020.
The fire broke out around 1:30 pm (10:30 GMT) on Thursday. 08/10/2020 In a warehouse in the port, where the International Committee of the Red Cross stored aid containing thousands of food packages, half a million liters of oil for household needs, as well as car tires.
Since its outbreak, civil defense teams and firefighters rushed to the scene A Lebanese army helicopter joined them and worked to put out the fire, which spread to other warehouses where imported materials are stored.
This fire quickly reminded the Lebanese of the day of the terrible Beirut port explosion on August 4, which killed more than 190 people and injured more than 6,500, in addition to displacing some 300,000 people from their homes.
Many rushed to close their home windows, fearing another explosion would knock down the glass again, and others exchanged messages warning to stay away from windows, while many homes and shops still basically lack their windows and doors that were broken by the explosion.
The Lebanese Civil Defense announced in a statement on Friday morning that its members had been expelled “with the support of a helicopter belonging to the Lebanese army and the Beirut Fire Brigade, from 1:25 p.m. on Thursday to 8:25 a.m. Friday Friday, “a fire broke out inside one of the huge warehouses in the port of Beirut.
Civil defense personnel worked on cooling the site to prevent the fire from recurring.
The International Committee of the Red Cross announced that “part of the ICRC’s stock of food parcels in our supplier’s warehouse had caught fire.” “With the debris and the hazard involved, we cannot determine the size of the losses,” he added.
According to the ICRC, the aid includes “sunflower oil, olive oil, sugar, salt, tea, margarine, pasta, tomato paste, bulgur, chickpeas, lentils and beans.”
The ICRC had transported much of what it was able to salvage from its arsenals in the port after the explosion.
“There is no doubt that the explosion and the fire will have an impact on the humanitarian aid provided by the ICRC, whether in Lebanon or Syria,” he said on Friday.
– ‘Toxic Republic’ –
For long hours on Thursday, a black cloud covered the Beirut sky, and many neighborhoods were dotted with black pieces of merchandise and burning tires.
The reasons for the outbreak of the fire are not yet clear. However, the interim Minister of Public Works and Transport, Michel Najjar, spoke on Thursday of “initial information” indicating that “one of them was carrying out a repair workshop, using a (welding tool), which caused a spark and the fire broke out. “
As for the President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, who chaired the Supreme Defense Council on Thursday night, said that the fire could have been an act of “sabotage” or the result of “error” or “negligence.”
The logistics company “BCC” responsible for the warehouse has denied “any responsibility” for the fire.
Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Adeeb tweeted on Friday that “yesterday’s fire in the port of Beirut cannot be justified … and accountability is a prerequisite for not repeating such painful events.”
And the environmental organization Greenpeace warned on Thursday about the danger of smoke from the tire fire, because it can contain organic pollutants that can be inhaled or highly toxic compounds.
The fire sparked panic among citizens, who basically hold the authorities responsible for the explosion on August 4, 2020, as a result of negligence. Authorities attributed the explosion to 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored for more than six years without adequate protective measures.
The Lebanese Presidency summoned the commander of the Works Regiment during a meeting with Aoun with the commander of the army and interested officers in the port that “15 thousand tons of rubble” were removed from the port and an area of ”one million of square meters “, in addition to the streets, schools, hospitals and universities affected.
The explosion sparked outrage, especially after various reports and sources confirmed that authorities, including security services, presidents, and former and current officials, were aware of the dangers of storing this material in the port. And he pushed the Hassan Diab-led government to resign.
So far, the Judiciary has arrested 25 people, including senior port security officials.
The Al-Akhbar newspaper headlined in its Friday edition, “The Port Disaster Repeats: The Farce”, the French-speaking newspaper “L’Orient-Le Jour” wrote the “Toxic Republic” and the An-Nahar newspaper, “The Port is a suspicious curse.”
The outbreak of the fire on Thursday raised fears among politicians and human rights activists for what they described as a “crime scene,” especially since it is the second this week, as it follows a small fire that also broke out on Tuesday. at the port.
Antoine Saad (56 years old), a resident of Mar Mikhael, one of the neighborhoods severely damaged by the port explosion, said: “It is as if we are watching a horror movie on the street. People are lost and no longer know where to go. “. “What happened yesterday is a repeat of the tragedy of a month ago,” he added.
“Where do we live? This is the scene of a crime that occurred a month ago! Where is the Judiciary? Where is the State? Where is the responsibility?”, Investigator specialized in criminal sciences and human rights, Omar Nashaba . AP
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