Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port a month after explosion

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ZEINA KARAM

BEIRUT (AP) — A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, triggering panic among residents traumatized by last month’s massive explosion there that killed and injured thousands of people.

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.

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 and that army helicopters are taking part in the operation.

Panicked residents — still struggling to get over last month’s catastrophic explosion — cracked open windows and called each other to warn them of the new fire. Local TV stations said the companies that have offices near the port have asked their employees to leave the area. Lebanese troops closed the major road that passes near the port referring traffic to other areas.



Fire burns in the port in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Sept. 10. 2020. A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, triggering panic among residents traumatized by last month's massive explosion that killed and injured thousands of people. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)


Read more: https://apnews.com/81089cc24f6d426751beae56f9aa3c30

[truthisfreedom]

1. Last week I read that tons more fertilizer was found in a building close to the first one that blew.

Is this that building burning?

[ananda]

2. My niece was living there at the time of the big explosion.

Two weeks ago she moved back here to Austin.

She's very depressed about having to move; she loved it there.

I also think she has guilt about being able to leave. She had
made that decision a few months ago since the country was
going through complete chaos and collapse due in large part
to the collapse of the oil market.

Anyway, sad days for Beirut and Lebanon.

Of course, in a decent world where fossil fuels and oppressive
corporations don't rule, we all would be in a different and better
place right now.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Video of this fire.......

Large fire breaks out at Beirut port weeks after fatal blast
Guardian News
•Sep 10, 2020

A store of oil and tyres at Beirut port burst into flames on Thursday but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The blaze began in the duty-free zone of the port, sending a huge column of smoke above a city still traumatised by the explosion on 4 August that killed around 190 people and injured 6,000 more. That blast occurred in ammonium nitrate that had been stored at the port in poor condition for years.

Tire fires are difficult to extinguish and are often just allowed to burn themselves out.

KY

[yaesu]

4. they just found tons of the same fertilizer that started the blast buried in debris a few days ago

hope they have it contained.