Lebanon receives French report regarding Beirut port blast

Lebanon receives a preliminary report from France regarding last year’s massive port blast in Beirut that killed and wounded thousands, judicial officials say.

The officials say the French report is useful for the ongoing investigation in Beirut over the August blast, which decimated the country’s main port and caused severe damage to surrounding areas. The officials, who speak on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, decline to give details about the report.

Nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate — a highly explosive material used in fertilizers — had been improperly stored in the port for years. The catastrophic blast on August 4 killed 211 people and injured more than 6,000.

Smoke rises from the scene of the explosion in the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, August 5, 2020. (AP/Hussein Malla, File)

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