Initial probes into Beirut's blasts show serious negligence, no signs of attacks

Preliminary investigations into the recent Beirut's explosions showed serious negligence with no signs of rocket or warplane attacks, LBCI TV channel reported Sunday.

Investigations, however, did not show if the explosion was intentional or not but pinned down serious negligence in the warehouse at Beirut's port with the presence of 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate, 24 tons of fireworks, kerosene, methylene, and nitrogen.

Sources told LBCI that ammonium nitrate alone does not pose such risks as it is the presence of other chemicals that constitutes a disaster.

Investigations also showed three workers did some welding work at the warehouse and left after 5 p.m., around an hour ahead of the explosions.

Lebanon's discriminatory Attorney General Judge Ghassan El-Khoury arrested earlier this month three senior officials at Port of Beirut for failing to dispose of the ammonium nitrate and observe proper storage of the chemicals.

The arrested officials were General Director of Customs Badri Daher, former Customs Director Chafic Merhi and Director General of Beirut's port Hassan Koraytem.

Two huge explosions rocked Port of Beirut on Aug. 4, shaking buildings all over the Lebanese capital, and killing over 177 while wounding 6,000 others.

Losses were estimated by Beirut's governor at more than 10 billion U.S. dollars.