Lebanon president says 2750 tons of chemical caused the blast
(VOVWORLD) - Lebanon identified ammonium nitrate as the source of a massive explosion Tuesday at the Port of Beirut which killed 100 people and injured more than 4,000 others by 2pm Wednesday.
 People help a man who was wounded in a massive explosion in Beirut (Photo: Al Jazeera) |
President Michel Aoun said that keeping 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate at a warehouse for six years without any security measures is unacceptable. He stressed that those who are responsible will be punished in the strongest terms and declared a state of emergency for two weeks in the capital Beirut. President Aoun said the government would release 100 billion lira (66 million USD) of emergency funds.
Meanwhile, UAE's Dubai Police chief Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan accused leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement Hassan Nasrallah of being behind the explosion. He referred the explosion to the day when a verdict is announced on a trial over the killing of Lebanon's ex-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.
The US said it is closely watching the incident and stands ready to assist the people of Lebanon.
An Israeli official denied Israel's involvement in Beirut blast. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said that the explosion was most likely an accident caused by a fire.