Questions raised over the causes of a fire at Sour's ancient site

BEIRUT — While summer temperatures remain high, despite a slight cooling, a fire broke out Saturday at the al-Bass archaeological site in Sour, South Lebanon, home to millennia-old ruins such as the hippodrome and the triumphal arch.

The blaze was contained the same day by the Civil Defense. While one environmental activist suggested arson as a possible cause, the firefighters prefer to wait for the investigation to conclude before determining the origin of the fire.

Maha Chalabi, president of the Lebanese Committee for the Safeguarding of Sour, stated in a press release sent to L'Orient Today that the flames destroyed "a large part of materials intended for restoration."

According to her, the fire "cannot be considered a simple accident," but rather is part of a "series of repeated acts of negligence." She pointed to "a deliberate intent to attack our monuments to erase our national identity," without naming the parties she holds responsible.

Chalabi is calling for "an immediate and transparent investigation into the causes of the fire and sanctions against those responsible, and the adoption of urgent measures to protect Lebanese heritage."

Contacted by our publication, a source within Civil Defense pointed out that after every fire, the agency's management assigns an expert to inspect the site and draft a report to determine the origin of the incident, "a process that takes time." "We are awaiting the results of the investigation carried out at Sour's ancient site," the source said.

According to our South Lebanon correspondent, "the presence of brush and dry weeds, due to a lack of regular maintenance of the al-Bass site and the adjoining areas of the hippodrome, may have contributed to the outbreak of the fire," as Lebanon has experienced temperature spikes in recent weeks after a particularly dry winter.

Chalabi noted that several fires have already been reported at sites in Sour. She believes it is "unacceptable to routinely cite the lack of maintenance staff at Tyre's archaeological sites. For seasonal interventions, it is always possible to hire day laborers under the supervision of the site manager." S

he is advocating for more state funds for the Directorate of Antiquities to ensure protection and restoration works, especially for sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage.

Sour, a major Phoenician city in South Lebanon, consists of two distinct sites: al-Mina, located on the promontory, and al-Bass.

Since 1984, the latter has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and was the main entrance to the city in antiquity. It includes the remains of the necropolis flanking a wide monumental avenue dominated by one of the most impressive relics at the site and a Roman triumphal arch dating from the second century AD. The site also contains an aqueduct and a second-century hippodrome.

During the last conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, from October 2023 to November 2024, Sour was heavily bombed by the Israeli army and continues to be periodically targeted, despite the cease-fire agreement.