A section of the massive grain silos at the port of Beirut, crushed by the 2020 explosion, collapsed in a huge cloud of dust on Sunday after a weeks-long fire caused by grains that had fermented and turned on in the summer heat.
The northern block of the silos collapsed after what appeared to be an explosion, sending thick, gray dust enveloping the iconic structure and harbor next to a residential area. It was not immediately known if anyone was injured.
Assaad Haddad, the general manager of Port Silo, told The Associated Press that “everything is under control” but that the situation has not calmed down yet. Minutes later, the dust settled and calm returned.
However, Youssef Mallah of the Civil Protection department said other parts of the northern block of silos were at risk and other sections of the giant ruin could collapse.
A section of the silo complex along Beirut’s seafront is seen burning on Friday. The fire was ignited on July 7 due to fermentation of remaining grain stocks combined with rising temperatures. (Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images)
The giant 50-year-old, 48-meter-tall silos withstood the force of the blast two years ago, effectively shielding the western part of Beirut from the chemical blast that killed more than 200 people, injured more than 6,000 and it badly damaged entire neighborhoods.
In July there was a fire in the north block of the silos due to the fermentation of the grains. Firefighters and Lebanese army soldiers were unable to put it out and it smoked for weeks, a foul smell spreading everywhere. The Environment and Health ministries last week instructed residents living near the port to stay indoors in well-ventilated spaces.
Part of the silos can be seen burning during the night of July 14. (Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images)
The fire and the dramatic sight of the searing, partially blackened silo brought back memories and, in some cases, trauma for survivors of the gigantic explosion that tore through the harbor two years ago.
People rush indoors after the collapse
Many rushed to close windows and return indoors after Sunday’s collapse.
Emmanuel Durand, a French civil engineer who volunteered for the government-commissioned team of experts, told the AP that the northern block of the silo had already tipped over since the day of the explosion. 2020, but the last fire had weakened its fragile structure. accelerating a possible collapse.
When the fermenting beans caught fire in early July, Lebanese firefighters and soldiers tried to put out the fire with water, but withdrew after the humidity made it worse. The Interior Ministry said more than a week later that the fire had spread, after reaching nearby power lines.
The silos continued to smoke for weeks as the smell of fermented grain seeped into nearby neighborhoods. Residents who had survived the 2020 explosion said the fire and smell reminded them of their trauma. Last week the Environment and Health ministries instructed residents living near the port to stay indoors in well-ventilated spaces.
The Lebanese Red Cross distributed K-N95 masks to those living nearby, and officials ordered firefighters and port workers to stay away from the immediate area near the silos.
The engineer says the collapse was inevitable
Emmanuel Durand, a French civil engineer who volunteered for the government-commissioned team of experts, told the AP in early July that the northern block of the silo had been decreasing in inclination over time, but that the recent fire accelerated the rate and caused irreversible damage to the already weakened structure.
Here’s a view of Beirut’s badly damaged seafront and the still-intact side of the silo complex as part of it continued to burn last Thursday, a week after the flames were extinguished. (Hussein Malla/The Associated Press)
Durand has been monitoring the silos from thousands of miles away using data produced by sensors he installed more than a year ago, updating a team of Lebanese government and security officials on the progress of a group from WhatsApp In several reports, he warned that the northern bloc could collapse at any moment.
Last April, the Lebanese government decided to demolish the silos, but suspended the decision after protests by the families of the victims and survivors of the explosion. They claim that the silos may contain evidence useful for the judicial investigation and that they should serve as a reminder of the tragic incident.
The Lebanese investigation has revealed that senior government and security officials knew about the hazardous material stored at the port, although no officials have been convicted so far. The officials involved subsequently filed legal challenges against the judge leading the investigation, which has left the investigation on hold since December.