Part of the Beirut port grain silos collapse nearly two years after a massive blast killed more than 215 people and severely damaged the port
Sunday's partial collapse came around two weeks after a fire erupted in the port's northern silos due to the fermentation of remaining grain stocks along with soaring summer temperatures, according to authorities."The northern group of silos are now in danger of falling," Najib Mikati said Wednesday in a statement, which added that the silos still contained thousands of tonnes of wheat and corn.
He told the army to be prepared and warned workers, civil defence members and firefighters to keep a safe distance from the site. Once boasting a capacity of more than 100,000 tonnes, an imposing 48-metre high remnant of the silos has become emblematic of the catastrophic port blast.The government in April ordered their demolition due to safety concerns, but that move was suspended amid objections, including from relatives of blast victims who want the silos preserved as a memorial site.
The environment and health ministries advised the public to evacuate the port area and use masks in the vicinity of the silos in case they collapsed.
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