The explosion in Beirut. The port authority will be put under house arrest – media
Employees of the port authority in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, where August 4 has occurred powerful explosion, will be placed under house arrest. This August 5, reported Al Jazeera , citing sources in the Lebanese Cabinet.
The investigators will determine the number of employees of the port, which as of 2014 was responsible for the protection and storage, after which they will be put under house arrest, sources said TV channel.
It is unknown who will be included in this list of administration. It is known that they will protect the army until until established responsible.
A powerful explosion in the port of Beirut occurred on the evening of 4 August. Close to the port areas of Lebanon’s capital damaged or destroyed many buildings. Reuters wrote, citing eyewitnesses that the explosion was of such force that it felt even residents of the capital Nicosia, which is located almost 200 km from Beirut. The television channel Al Jazeera reported that the blast the cars threw him into the roof of the plant about three floors.
The victims were at least 135 people, about 5 thousand wounded and dozens missing.
The Governor of the Lebanese capital, Marwan Abboud said that the explosion left homeless and up to 300 thousand people. He estimated the damage from the occurrence, at $3-5 billion.
According to preliminary information, the explosion occurred in a warehouse of ammonium nitrate after the fire, caused by welding operations.
According to Reuters, Lebanese officials ignored the proposals of customs to re-export or sale 2750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate seized from the vessel Rhosus in the port of Beirut. As told the interlocutor of the Agency, a team of inspectors warned that if nitrate is not taken out, “the could take the whole Beirut”.
The ship Rhosus is owned by Russian businessman Igor Grechushkina. In 2014, it transported the ammonium nitrate in one of the African countries, but because of debts the cargo was confiscated in Beirut.