Lebanon PM warns smouldering Beirut Port silos risk total collapse

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned on Friday that the massive grain silos in the Port of Beirut are risking total collapse due to an ongoing slow fire amid the summer heat, news agencies reported.

Two weeks ago, with the start of the ongoing summer heatwave, a fire was ignited in the silos, which was the scene of a devastating blast that tore through the city two years ago.

Mikati warned of the renewal of the tragedy of the Port of Beirut, where hundreds of tonnes of explosive material detonated and caused havoc in the port city, killing 200 people and wounding at least 6,000 others.

The two silos absorbed a massive portion of the explosion from the western side of Beirut, but they have been suffering severe damage.

READ: Israelis commemorate the anniversary of the second Lebanon War, amid fears of a third

The fire was ignited while 800 tonnes of grains were being fermented amidst the very hot weather hitting the region.

Mikati has ordered firefighters to leave the operation area, fearing risk to their lives, but firefighters are still keeping an eye on the burning silos.

One Lebanese official ruled out the risk of explosion but did not rule out a total collapse of the silo.

The interior minister on Thursday ordered the Lebanese army to help extinguish the fire using water, but the army has yet failed to extinguish the flames.

Lebanon will rise up from its ashes – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]