More silos collapse on Beirut port blast anniversary

More Beirut port silos partially collapsed for the second time in a week on Thursday, on the two-year anniversary of the 4 August 2020 blast which killed over 220 and wounded 7,000.

Wednesday's collapse saw at several silos fall in the northern bloc of the structure, releasing a dust cloud over the port area.

It came as activist Paul Naggear gave a speech commemorating the victims of the Port of Beirut explosion.

Families of the port blast victims issued a statement to mark the second anniversary of the disaster as the silos caved in.

"You destroyed Beirut, orphaned children, bled hearts and abandoned families from their homes while you danced over the blood of our victims," the group said in a statement.

"We tell you today and every day that your corruption is the one who killed our children and victims, and the settlements you are considering will not apply to us."

Authorities issued warnings hours prior to the collapse, closing off the main highway in front of the port and evacuating workers from within 500 metres of the affected area.

It was caused by a fire that had been burning in the silos for the past three weeks, started after wheat released from the silos during the 2020 blast fermented and caught alight.

Despite entreaties of Beirut residents, authorities failed to put out the blaze.

Previously, the Lebanese health ministry warned nearby residents to close all windows and wear N-95 protective masks, saying the dust released from the impact would contain toxic substances, including fungi.

French civil engineer, Emmanuel Durand, who monitors the silos via remote sensors, told local paper L’Orient Today that the structure was tilting 13 milimetres per hour. In the months prior, it was only tilting at a rate of 2 milimetres per day meaning its collapse was almost inevitable.

The port silos held special significance for many Beirut residents and particularly the survivors of the port blast. The structure absorbed much of the shock wave of the explosion and shielded much of the city from even more damage.

The government announced plans in April to demolish the silos, despite stiff public opposition. Local architects objected to the plans, saying it would be cheaper to rehabilitate the structure than to destroy and rebuild them.

Survivors of the explosion also rejected the government's plans, saying reconstruction should not come before justice is served with no port or government official prosecuted for the initial blast caused by tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate.

Others wanted to keep the silos as a monument to the 4 August event and the inability of the government to prevent it.