Large section of Beirut’s port silos collapses on 2nd anniversary of deadly blast

A large section of Beirut’s giant port grain silos, shredded by a massive explosion two years ago, collapses as hundreds march in Beirut to mark the second anniversary of the blast that killed scores.

Northern section of ##BeirutBlast Silos has just collapsed 04.08. Fires had been burning for over three weeks but Government & “responsible” authorities took no action. This is wilful, criminal neglect: intention is that fires destroy collective memory! pic.twitter.com/xocOQy7g4J

— Nasser Saidi (@Nasser_Saidi) August 4, 2022

The northern block of the silos consisting of four towers, which has been slowly tilting for days, collapses causing a huge cloud of dust that covers the structure that shielded Beirut’s western neighborhoods when the blast occurred on August 4, 2020, killing nearly 220 people, wounding over 6,000 and causing damage worth billions of dollars.

The collapse occurs an hour before hundreds of people were to gather outside the facility to mark the second anniversary of the blast. Authorities evacuated parts of the port earlier this week as a precautionary measure and there is no indication that anyone has been hurt.

The 50-year-old, 48 meter (157 feet) tall silos withstood the force of the explosion two years ago that destroyed much of the port. Many in Lebanon, including families of the victims, have been demanding that the silos be kept for future generations to witness the result of one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history caused by widespread corruption and mismanagement in the small Mediterranean nation.

More Beirut silos collapse as Lebanon marks two years since the blast, with a cloud of smoke and dust eerily similar to that from the explosion rising into the sky. pic.twitter.com/ujwEWIvwNB

— Timour Azhari (@timourazhari) August 4, 2022

Trois #cylindres du #bloc nord des #silos se sont effondrés pic.twitter.com/OEuIWUgdA5

— Ici Beyrouth (@Icibeyrouthnews) August 4, 2022