Passers-by in front of the destroyed silos of the port of Beirut, Oct. 17, 2021. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/OLJ)
BEIRUT — Firefighters extinguished a blaze Thursday evening in the grain silos of the Beirut port, which were already seriously damaged by the deadly explosion of August 4, 2020. According to several local media outlets, the fire was caused by the fermentation of wheat remains left in the silos.
Here's what we know:
• In recent days, light fumes emerging from the rubble of the silos were noticeable, amid high summer temperatures.
• The authorities want the silos destroyed, saying that studies have shown the structure is in danger of collapsing. However, the families of the port blast victims oppose their demolition, believing that the authorities are seeking to destroy evidence, while the investigation has been blocked for months due to political interference from all sides.
• The Aug. 4 explosion was caused by a fire in a huge stock of ammonium nitrate that had been stored since 2013 in the port without security measures, by the authorities' own admission. Several security and port officials are behind bars, but none of the politicians prosecuted by investigating Judge Tarek Bitar have agreed to appear in court, under various pretexts.