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On Monday night, July 14, a fire broke out in Beirut inside what remains of its grain silos. Eyewitnesses and Lebanese media claimed that a column of smoke was rising from inside the silos. According to reports, the fermentation of wheat remnants left in the silos for two years is what caused the fire.
On August 4, 2020, over 250 people died, over 6,000 were injured, and over 330,000 were forced to leave their homes. The 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, which had been stored in one of the port hangars for more than six years in unsafe conditions by Lebanese authorities, led to the explosion of Beirut's port. Experts ranked the explosion among the 10 most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history.
Lebanon to Demolish Remnants of the Grain Silos
According to a report by France 24, the Lebanese government assigned the Council for Development and Reconstruction on April 14, 2022, to supervise the demolition of the grain silos that were severely damaged by the tragic explosion, citing studies that indicated the structure was in danger of collapsing.
In a report provided to Lebanese authorities, Emmanuel Durand, an expert engineer charged to studying the silos, warns that a section of the grain silos at the Beirut port is in danger of collapse and must be demolished. Based on his latest findings, the silos’ northern bloc was heavily damaged and is in danger of collapse.
Claims About the Beginning of the Demolition Process
Although the Lebanese government decided to destroy the grain silos three months ago without specifying a start date, social media users widely reported that the authorities have been secretly working on demolishing them since Saturday.
Based on photos of “three big machines that appear like drills digging the ground under the silos,” shot on Saturday by a group of people, ICI Beyrouth stated that the demolition of the silos had started. The report also explained that the machines were probably being used to undermine the structure.
Officials Deny Beirut Port Silo Demolition
On Monday, the director general of the Beirut port, Omar Itani, and caretaker Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh, both refuted a media report claiming that demolition of the Beirut port silos had begun.
Itani said that the machines seen in the photos were used to unload wheat ships prior to the explosion. Itani explained to Annahar newspaper that the Civil Defense cannot be allowed to approach the place because it is not safe, and the extinguishing process needs a complex mechanism such as spanning a bridge.
Hamieh told VDL radio he had no knowledge of demolition operations at the port.
William Noun, a spokesperson for the families of the Beirut port explosion victims, refuted the allegation to Lebanon Debate, saying he had personally inspected the port this morning.
Groups Call on Lebanese Authorities to Deal with Fire
Last month, MPs from the Kataeb party introduced a draft law in Parliament that would designate the silos as national monuments to commemorate the victims of the explosion and prevent their demolition.
Sectors of civil society and the families of the port blast victims also oppose the demolition, believing that the authorities are seeking to destroy the only monument that commemorates the crime, calling it the silent witness.
The Solidarity Campaign for Protecting the Beirut Port Silos accused the “caretaker government of the ongoing fire at the port and the damage caused by it” in a statement released on Tuesday. The campaign urged the government to act quickly to put out the fire and investigate its causes.
The Solidarity Campaign also called on the government to “withdraw its plan to demolish the silos and to start consolidating the silos and take the responsibility of any tampering with the crime scene.”
Misbar’s Sources
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