Beirut: Lebanon Minister Reveals ‘Cause’ Of Tuesday Explosion

A few hours after a massive explosion rocked Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, Mohammed Fahmi, Lebanon’s Interior Minister has disclosed the cause of the incident which resulted in a huge number of casualties.

According to the minister, the deadly explosion was caused by an ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the port.

Naija News reports that footage from the ground where the two explosions occurred showed significant damage and plumes of smoke rising above the city.

Speaking on the incident, Fahmi noted that more than 50 people were feared dead, with nearly 3,000 injured. On his part, Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, hinted that the warehouse had been the subject of warnings since 2014.

The prime minister assured that he would reveal more facts about the facility soon. “I promise you this catastrophe will not pass without accountability. The people who are responsible will pay a price,” Diab said.

In his statement, Wednesday, August 5 has been declared a national day of mourning for the victims of the explosion.

Meanwhile, Naija News had reported that a cat arrested and detained at Sri Lanka’s main prison for allegedly been used to smuggle hard drugs has fled from his cell.

Naija News learned that other items such as cell phone SIM cards were also recovered from the cat’s body as they were tied around his neck.