(BEIRUT) – A huge fire broke out Thursday in the port of Beirut, the site of the catastrophic explosion last month that nearly 200 people and destroyed parts of the capital killed. The new fire caused nearly 40 days after the explosion spread panic among residents of the traumatized area. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire at the plant that have been decimated by the explosions on August 4, marketed as nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded. The explosion triggered a shockwave blew out windows, doors and walls miles away and was as far away as the island of Cyprus to be felt. A column of black smoke billowed from the dense port at midday Thursday, with orange flames jumping out of the ground. Smoke covered the capital and the fire brigade and ambulances rushed to the scene. Army helicopters have taken to extinguish the fire in the search for a part. “We opened all the windows and are now under way,” said Dana Awad, a mother of two girls in a Beirut neighborhood. “I feel the earth shook again. To live a flashback.” He was referring to advance to the earthquake, August 4 explosion. The Lebanese army said the fire in a warehouse where begins the oil and tires are positioned in the duty free zone, and added that efforts to fight the fire has not yet been concluded. Panicked residents – fighting twist to the catastrophic explosion month – Cracking open windows and shout, and sent them a message to warn the new danger. local television stations, companies, offices have asked their employees in the harbor, to leave the area. social media port Video shown that circulate in the fear to run away as soon as the fire broke out, a chilling reminder of the last month of explosion, dozens of port employees and 10 fire fighters killed. Lebanese troops closed the main road passing near the port redirecting traffic to other areas. The explosion on August 4, has killed more than 190 people, injured 6,500 and damaged thousands of buildings in the Lebanese capital. The explosion, the only destructive explosion in the history of Lebanon, to negligence of the government and mismanagement accused. Lebanese speculated on the heels of the fire on Thursday that could be an attempt to test the explosion last month from the scene to remove. Some hid in bathrooms, others dropped what they were doing and rushed home. The panic was mixed in August by the trauma from 4 explosion and the fear that the chemicals might be in the rubble of the port. Earlier this month, the Lebanese army said that four more than four tons of ammonium nitrate containers discovered near the port saved, it was said, “treated.” Days after the explosion more than 20 containers of hazardous chemicals and chemical French Italian experts on August 4 of the port remains in the midst identified. The army later said that these containers were moved safely and stored in places away from the port. The state National News Agency said the fire in a warehouse is where the tires are placed. He added that the fire department has to do with the fire. Beirut Gov. Marwan Abboud, and he urged people to stay away authorities streets leading to the port, so that the fire department to move quickly. Port Director Bassem al-Qaisi told Voice of Lebanon radio fire started in a warehouse where barrels of cooking oil filled and spread later to the nearby where the tires were stacked. “It ‘s too early to now, when it is the result of heat or other error,” he said al-Qaissi added that the black smoke from burning tires was. It ‘was the second fire at the port of this week. On Tuesday it broke a small fire to create a panic that was quickly extinguished. ___ Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue contributed to Beirut.
Huge fire breaks in Beirut harbor a month after the explosion
