The northern section of the grain silos damaged two years ago by a deadly explosion at the port of Beirut collapsed after warnings that the structure was leaning too far to remain upright. A cloud of dust rose over the port early Tuesday after the collapse, which collapsed eight other silos that were more heavily damaged by the blast and where a fire has been burning since July. The remaining southern block is more stable and in no immediate danger of collapse, said French civil engineer Emmanuel Durand, who has installed sensors in the silos. The 50-year-old, 48-meter (157-foot) high silos absorbed much of the impact when tons of incorrectly stored ammonium nitrate fertilizer went up in a massive explosion on August 4, 2020. The silos effectively shielded the western part of Beirut from the blast, which killed more from 200 people. Part of the silos collapsed on July 31 and another section fell on August 4, the second anniversary of the explosion. #Lebanon #Beirut port silo north block collapsed this norning pic.twitter.com/WJjyovigzQ — Hassan Ammar (@HassanAmmar5) August 23, 2022 A fire has been burning in the silos for more than a month as the remaining grain stocks ferment in the summer heat. On Sunday, the health ministry said samples from around the port showed the air contained high levels of common mold, which would not be dangerous if not inhaled in large quantities over a long period of time. In April, the government ordered the demolition of the silos, but the operation was put on hold, in part because of objections from relatives of the blast victims who want them preserved as a memorial. They also argue that the silos may contain evidence useful to the forensic investigation into the explosion. Blast survivors and residents near the port said watching the fire from their homes and offices was like reliving the trauma of the blast. Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh announced last week that the government had agreed to reserve 25,000 square meters (270,000 square feet) of the port to build new grain silos. This is larger than the current complex, which occupies an area of 21,000 square meters (226,000 sq ft). Hamiet said the funding would come from international donors as well as the government, which has been bankrupted by a crushing financial crisis.
