The north block of silos collapsed in a huge cloud of dust after what sounded like an explosion. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured. The 50-year-old silos, which once had a capacity of more than 100,000 tons and stood 48 meters high, withstood the force of the explosion two years ago, protecting the western part of Beirut from the blast that killed more than 200 people, injured more than 7,000 and entire neighborhoods were severely damaged. In July a fire broke out in the north block of silos due to fermenting grain. Firefighters and soldiers have been unable to extinguish the blaze, which has continued to smolder for weeks, with the smell spreading to nearby towns. The environment and health ministries issued instructions last week to people living near the port to stay indoors in well-ventilated areas. Emmanuel Durand, a French civil engineer who volunteered on a government-commissioned team of experts, told The Associated Press that the north block of the silo had been toppled since the day of the 2020 explosion, but the fire had weakened its fragile structure. , hastening its collapse. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am The government in April ordered the demolition of the silos for safety reasons, but the move has since been stalled amid objections, including from relatives of blast victims who want the silos preserved as a memorial. Lebanon’s investigation into the blast has faced systemic and blatant political obstruction from day one.
