Lebanese authorities reported that at least 28 people in the region have lost their lives while 79 others were left injured after a large explosion originating from a fuel tank stored in the northern parts of the country on Sunday.
Sources from the military and security sector in the region revealed that the army was able to seize a fuel storage tank that black marketeers secured. The perpetrators were distributing gasoline to residents during the time of the blast.
Massive Fuel Tank Explosion
The country is currently facing a severe shortage of fuel, resulting in long queues at gas stations and extended blackouts across several areas. The horrific blast occurred in the town of Altalil located in the Akkar region, which is one of the country's poorest areas.
Witnesses said that nearly 200 residents were near the site of the blast the moment that it occurred. Hamad Hassan, the caretaker health minister, said the worst cases of burns among the victims needed immediate treatment to avoid fatal wounds, the New York Post reported.
Sources said that the fatalities included several army and security forces personnel who were in the area of the explosion. Many witnesses varied in their descriptions of how the blast started in the region. One security source said a large group of people rushed through, some arguing while others started firing guns, which hit the fuel tank, causing the explosion.
Another person said he saw a person use a lighter to ignite the fuel inside the tank and cause the massive blast. One person who was among the victims was Abdelrahman, who was in line to buy gasoline and had his face and body covered in gauze while being treated in Tripoli's al-Salam hospital.
The father of another victim who was being treated at the hospital said his two other sons have not yet been located by authorities. On Twitter, users uploaded pictures of the area that showed people walking inside a large crater, CNN reported.
Surge of Poverty and Hyperinflation
The Red Cross said its teams were still investigating the site of the explosion for potential survivors. Authorities reported that many of the injured victims were transported to Tripoli while others were given over to Beirut to be treated, Rashid Maqsood, an official with the Islamic Medical Association, said.
Dr. Sarah Ishaq, a medical expert from al-Salam Hospital, said many of the victims who were injured were in serious conditions. The professional said hospitals were unable to accommodate all of the victims, citing the situation was incredibly grim.
The devastating blast came in the week after the central bank decided to end subsidies for fuel products. Many experts said the decision would result in massive price hikes for all commodities in the region, which is already struggling against the surge of poverty and hyperinflation.
Lebanese troops were deployed to petrol stations on Saturday, which forced owners to sell fuel to customers. Some station owners refused to sell their products because they wanted to wait for potential profits at the end of the subsidies, Aljazeera reported.
