Firefighters extinguish a fire near the Deir Ammar power station, in North Lebanon, on Aug. 27, 2022. (Credit: Civil Defense Twitter account @CivilDefenseLB)
BEIRUT — Seven people were hospitalized for asphyxiation Saturday after attempting to put out a fire that broke out near the Deir Ammar power plant in northern Lebanon.
The fire had reignited in a grassy field near the power plant, after being extinguished for the first time on Friday evening. With the flames rapidly approaching the building due to strong winds, seven workers tried to put it out, but suffered smoke inhalation in the process. They were treated by the Lebanese Red Cross and then transported to hospitals in the region, the state-run National News Agency reported.
The blaze was finally extinguished by firefighters before it reached the power plant.
Numerous fires have broken out on Lebanese territory in recent days, due in particular to the drought and high temperatures. The lack of Civil Defense resources to fight the flames, in a country in the midst of a multifaceted crisis, complicates extinguishing operations.