Investigation launched into cause of deadly Beirut blast amid public anger

Name: Devastating aftermath of deadly Beirut blasts as Lebanon reports at least 100 dead, 4,000 hurt
Uploaded: 2020-08-05T23:12:49.000Z
Description: Devastating aftermath of deadly Beirut blasts as Lebanon reports at least 100 dead, 4,000 hurt

Officials suspect negligence may have played a part in the incident that led to the deaths of at least 135 people and injured 5,000 others

Economic losses from the blast are estimated to be between US$10 billion to US$15 billion

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An aerial view shows the massive damage done to Beirut port’s grain silos and the area around it. Photo: AFP

Associated Press

Published: 7:12am, 6 Aug 2020Updated: 8:34am, 6 Aug 2020

Investigators probing the deadly blast that ripped across Beirut focused Wednesday on possible negligence in the storage of tonnes of a highly explosive fertiliser in a waterfront warehouse, while the government ordered the house arrest of several port officials.

International aid flights began to arrive as Lebanon’s leaders struggled to deal with the widespread damage and shocking aftermath of Tuesday’s blast, which the Health Ministry said killed 135 people and injured about 5,000 others.

Devastating aftermath of deadly Beirut blasts as Lebanon reports at least 100 dead, 4,000 hurt

Public anger mounted against the ruling elite that is being blamed for the chronic mismanagement and carelessness that led to the disaster. The Port of Beirut and customs office is notorious for being one of the most corrupt and lucrative institutions in Lebanon where various factions and politicians, including Hezbollah, hold sway.

The investigation is focusing on how 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical used in fertilisers, came to be stored at the facility for six years, and why nothing was done about it.

This combination of pictures filmed from an office building at the moment a massive explosion rocked Beirut the previous day shows a fireball exploding while smoke is billowing at the port of the Lebanese capital on August 4, 2020. Photo: AFP

Losses from the blast are estimated to be between US$10 billion to US$15 billion, Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud told Saudi-owned TV station Al-Hadath, adding that nearly 300,000 people are homeless.