Lebanon port area blast kills at least 78, more than 4000 injured

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–At least 78 people were killed and more than 4,000 injured following a large blast at a port area in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency said the blast occurred in the Beirut Port area at around 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT) where there are warehouses housing explosive material.

Some 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, used to make fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years at a port warehouse without safety measures, Lebanon Prime Minister Hassan Diab said.

Investigations are still underway as to what exactly caused the explosion.