Breaking News: Twin Explosions Kill Hundreds, Injure Thousands

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Category: World News

Published on Tuesday, 04 August 2020 12:32

Written by Janet Walker

Twin explosions destroyed a portion of the sea port in Lebanon, Beirut, leveling buildings, sending massive concrete slabs hurling to the streets, smashing automobiles, killing pedestrians, and creating a widespread repercussion wave that shook the city.

The Secretary General of Lebanon's Kateab Party is known to have been among the hundreds, if not thousands who died, in the afternoon explosion which Lebanon state media is attributing to chemicals stored at the port.

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"Mohammed Fahmi, Lebanon's interior minister, said it appeared to have been caused by ammonium nitrate that was stored in a warehouse at the port," reported Al Jazzera.com.

The initial explosion, which occurred about 6:00PM local time, originated in a fireworks warehouse which could be seen from a distance. Emergency crews were onsite as the flames from the first explosion breached the roof of the building sending plumes of grey smoke, visible for miles, into the sky.

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A much stronger second explosion, which has been seen on social media, detonated engulfing the vibrate waterfront district sending ground shaking quakes across the city, leveling buildings and sending massive plumes of red, brown and orange smoke into the air.

Concrete boulders, the size of small automobiles, hurtled down on the streets smashing vehicles, pedestrians and burying many under debris. Earthquake rescue teams, and cadaver dogs were brought in to assist with the search.

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Local emergency crews suffered heavy losses as social media postings indicated many firefighters were onsite battling the inferno from the first blast when the second catastrophic blast detonated.

The explosion was so strong individuals onboard the Italian Ship, "The Orient Queen," were among those injured.

"The ship is totally destroyed - the cabins the lounge, everything," Vincenco Orlandini, a 69-year-old crew member, told Al Jazeera. "I heard the blast and I flew to the opposite of the lobby, then I landed on the carpet and I'm lucky, I think that saved me," Al Jazeera News reported.

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The strength of the secondary explosion sent shock waves across the city blowing out glass windows, ripping doors off hinges and sending concrete projectiles for miles slamming holes into homes and business.

News media organizations have revised the death toll to unknown with thousands injured.

This is a developing story.