Lebanon blast probe eyes negligence
Explosive chemical sat in warehouse for years
BEIRUT — Investigators probing the deadly blast that ripped across Beirut focused Wednesday on possible negligence in the storage of tons of a highly explosive fertilizer in a waterfront warehouse, while the government ordered the house arrest of several port officials.
International aid flights began to arrive as Lebanon’s leaders struggled to deal with the damage and aftermath of Tuesday’s blast, which the Health Ministry said killed 135 people and injured about 5,000 others.
Public anger mounted against the ruling elite, which is being blamed for the chronic mismanagement and carelessness that led to the disaster. The Port of Beirut and customs office is notorious for being one of the most corrupt and lucrative institutions in Lebanon, where various factions and politicians, including Hezbollah, hold sway.
The investigation is focusing on how 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical used in fertilizers, came to be stored at the facility for six years, and why nothing was done about it.
Losses from the blast are estimated to be between $10 billion to $15 billion, Beirut Gov. Marwan Abboud told Saudi-owned TV station Al-hadath, adding that nearly 300,000 people are homeless.
“Beirut as we know it is gone, and people won’t be able to rebuild their lives,” said Amy, a woman who swept glass from a small alley beside by a tall building that served as a showroom for a famous Lebanese designer and was a neighborhood landmark.
“This is hell. How are they (people) going to survive, what are they going to do?” she said, blaming officials for lack of responsibility and “stupidity.”
Hospitals were overwhelmed by the injured. One that was damaged in the blast had to evacuate all of its patients to a nearby field for treatment.
Lebanon already was on the brink of collapse amid an economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. Many have lost their jobs and seen their savings evaporate because of a currency crisis. Food security is a worry, as the country imports nearly all of its vital goods and its main port is devastated. The government is strapped for cash.
A U.S. Defense Department official and member of the U.S. intelligence community said there were no indications the explosion was from an attack by either a nation state or proxy forces. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss intelligence briefings publicly. They said the explosion seems to have been caused by improper storage of explosives.