Iconic Beirut nightspot Skybar burns down
Iconic Beirut nightspot Skybar burns down
Beiruti partygoers lose Skybar for summer months after blaze reduces much of famed hotspot to a smouldering wreck.
2 min read
28 May, 2015
Skybar was a hotspot in Beirut
One of Beirut's most famous nightspots has been forced to close for the summer after a blaze reduced much of it to a smouldering wreck.
Firefighters battled the blaze at the Skybar in downtown Beirut for hours early on Friday but were unable to prevent it destroying the kitchen, bar and VIP areas.
The Daily Star reported an electrical short-circuit was to blame. The iconic club was being renovated and was due to reopen next month.
Skybar owner Shafiq al-Khazen told L'Orient-Le Jour, "At 3.30am people in Biel saw smoke coming out of the building. By the time I got to the scene Skybar was on fire and around 20 firefighters were battling the flames.
60 percent of the nightclub was damaged in the fire."
He said repairs would take up to six months and the summer season was "lost".
Skybar is well-known for being a venue for Beirut's elite, for throwing open-air summer parties and its sea view.
Michelle Maluf Nsouli said on Skybar's Facebook page, "Summer won't be the same without you guys! On a good note, good thing this happened now and not on a night full of people."
Others were not so kind. Isabelle Matossian said: "Am I the only one very happy with this news? I hope the same thing happens to other clubs in Beirut."
Firefighters battled the blaze at the Skybar in downtown Beirut for hours early on Friday but were unable to prevent it destroying the kitchen, bar and VIP areas.
The Daily Star reported an electrical short-circuit was to blame. The iconic club was being renovated and was due to reopen next month.
Skybar owner Shafiq al-Khazen told L'Orient-Le Jour, "At 3.30am people in Biel saw smoke coming out of the building. By the time I got to the scene Skybar was on fire and around 20 firefighters were battling the flames.
60 percent of the nightclub was damaged in the fire."
He said repairs would take up to six months and the summer season was "lost".
Skybar is well-known for being a venue for Beirut's elite, for throwing open-air summer parties and its sea view.
Michelle Maluf Nsouli said on Skybar's Facebook page, "Summer won't be the same without you guys! On a good note, good thing this happened now and not on a night full of people."
Others were not so kind. Isabelle Matossian said: "Am I the only one very happy with this news? I hope the same thing happens to other clubs in Beirut."
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