13 Oct Huge fire at oil facility in southern Lebanon
A huge fire broke out in a giant gasoline tanker at an oil facility in southern Lebanon on Monday.
According to reports no workers were within the vicinity when the blaze ignited and fire engines were able to quell the fire within hours.
As part of the fire response authorities blocked the main highway linking Beirut with southern Lebanon that passes through Zahrani. Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the Zahrani Oil Installation as the fire raged in a large petrol tank belonging to the army.
Lebanon is already battling one of the world’s worst economic crises in 150 years and just two days before the blaze its electricity went completely offline, after key power plants ran out of fuel – including Zahrani. Energy Minister Walid Fayad confirmed the fire had consumed around 250,000 litres of gasoline.