Beirut: Silos Collapse Continues Amid Anniversay of Blast

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Facts

  • On Thurs., as crowds gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of the explosion at the Beirut Port, a large block of the damaged grain silos collapsed.1
  • The northern block of silos had been tilting since a section collapsed on Sunday, after which, authorities evacuated that area of the port. There have been no reports of injuries or deaths.1
  • Following the explosion in 2020, the silos remained standing as a reminder of the tragedy that took more than 200 lives, injured 7K, and left 300K homeless.2
  • In April, the Lebanese government ordered the demolition of the silos but the effort was halted partially due to objections from the families of victims and survivors who wished to see the site memorialized.3
  • The anniversary comes amid calls from families of the victims and survivors for an international investigation into the cause of the 2020 incident. The domestic investigation has stalled due to legal challenges.2
  • Before Sunday's collapse, the silos had been burning for weeks with fires igniting from leftover fermenting wheat. In late July, officials issued a warning and instructed residents in the area to stay indoors in well-ventilated areas.1

Sources: 1Associated Press, 2The Telegraph and 3Times of Israel.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Al Mayadeen English. The Lebanese government has taken the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of residents in the area. The government wished to demolish the damaged structures to ensure residents' safety, but the fire accelerated the demise of the silos. Additionally, protesting families of the deceased, who want to preserve the silos for evidence in an investigation, have delayed the demolition that would have prevented the collapse.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. Lebanese politicians are to blame for this catastrophe. Some officials knew about the storage of the ammonium nitrate that set off the initial blast and others have failed to complete a proper investigation. If the government conducted a proper inquiry and issued warrants for those responsible, families would not be protesting the demolition and the collapse wouldn't have occurred.