Fire erupts at Beirut port grain silos

BEIRUT — Another fire has erupted tonight near the grain silos at the Beirut port, which were seriously damaged by the explosion. Many observers and residents noted the fire, some describing smoke around the port since yesterday.

Here’s what we know:

    • L’Orient Today’s reporter on the ground noted that there were no immediate signs of emergency responders with flames reaching a quarter way up the structure. However he did observe the presence of a boat circling the structure, not interacting with the flame directly.

    • Soldiers on the ground told L’Orient Today that there were attempts to put out the flame however, they were unsuccessful. However, he did not specify who tried to put it out or whether more attempts would be tried later.

    • This is the third fire to erupt in the past week. On Thursday evening, firefighters extinguished a blaze at the silos. According to several local media outlets, the fire was caused by the fermentation of wheat that remains scattered in and around the silos.

    • Then again on Monday, photographer Daniel Carde reported that a fire was burning in the silos, but a spokesperson for the Civil Defense told L’Orient Today on Tuesday that he was not informed of yesterday’s fire at the port. “If the fire was significant we would have been told,” he said.

    • On March 16, the cabinet agreed to demolish the silos amid fears that it might be on the verge of collapse. But the decision was later reversed after Culture Minister Mohammed Mortada granted the structure architectural heritage status. Families of the port blast victims oppose their demolition, believing that the authorities are seeking to destroy evidence.

    • Many have speculated that this is a covert demolition of the grain silos. However, both caretaker Transport Minister Ali Hamieh, and the Director General of the Beirut port, Omar Itani, denied on Monday media claims that there were plans for demolition.