By Simona Sikimic and Wassim Mroueh AIN AL-REMMANEH, Lebanon: Environment Minister Mohammad Rahhal vowed to crackdown on industrial standards Wednesday after a fire tore though a chemical warehouse in Ain al-Remmaneh in Beirut’s suburbs, devastating much of the neighboring residential building.
The blaze, first reported around 7 pm Tuesday, sent tons of toxic smoke billowing into the air and caused the hospitalization of at least one resident and the evacuation of dozens more who remain unable to return to their homes.
Ash also showered neighboring cars, reaching as far afield as Hamra before the fire was brought “under control” around midnight by the 20 on-site Civil Defense teams.
Calling the event a “disaster,” Rahhal used the occasion to issue a stern warning to the “tens of similar warehouses” located in residential areas, which will now be surveyed and given several months to conform to regulation or face closure.
“I will submit a report to the Cabinet about the issue to penalize the responsible parties [behind illegal operations],” he said while visiting the site on Wednesday. “Even if [the warehouse owner] has a permit, it is illegal and the one who gave it to him should have his hands broken.”
Warehouse owners Inter Cam deny the allegations and claim they have conformed with all rules and inspections.
The ability of the Civil Defense to enforce such a large-scale operation has been placed in serious doubt.
“We do not have enough personnel to conduct inspections – we basically have nothing!” said director of Civil Defense operations, George Abu Moussa. “All our resources have been exhausted battling the forest fires and we are stretched very thin.
“A pretty major change will have to take place if we are to address the problem of illegal warehouses, there are so many out there and our resources are very limited,” said Moussa who personally rushed from the site of a forest blaze to deal with the Beirut fire.
Despite the unrelenting efforts of fire crews, smoke was still seen emanating from the site on Wednesday afternoon as embers trapped underneath piles of debris continued to burn.
Chemicals, like chlorine, which were released in the blaze are hazardous to human health and can cause respiratory irritation, coughing, dizziness and nausea, said Environment Ministry department of chemical safety, acting head, Olfat Hamdan.
Chemicals, like chlorine, which were released in the blaze are hazardous to human health and can cause respiratory irritation, coughing, dizziness and nausea, said Environment Ministry department of chemical safety, acting head, Olfat Hamdan.
“The combustion has given off some hazardous emissions … but we are dedicating our full resources to this and all possible precautions will be taken,” said Hamdan. “We are evaluating how to clear the rubble and are looking at how and where it will be properly stored to avoid becoming a hazard.”
Special care will have to be taken when disposing of the material because of its reportedly carcinogenic effects. The costs are to be charged to Inter Cam, currently in talks with their insurers.
At the time of the blast, the warehouse was housing spare parts and chemicals for the international swimming pool-giants Hayward, Inter Cam said.
The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown and is likely to remain unconfirmed until later in the week when the last of the debris is cleared and investigators gain unremitted access to the site.
Sources, however, are largely pointing to an electrical fault, most likely a generator malfunction.
Although the site was inspected some two weeks ago, it was given the all clear by the municipality that ordered it to install new fire extinguishers, a charge the owners claim they complied with.
“We alerted the municipality to the warehouse several times because we were noticed a strange smell,” said resident Bichara Khalil. “They inspected the warehouse but assured us everything was alright.
“The damage to our homes is really very bad and even if we are allowed to move back in, there is so much cleaning and repair that has to be done that this will undoubtedly take a long time,” he said. “This is difficult for us many residents have children or elderly relatives.”
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