Beirut rocked by massive explosion

25 killed and nearly 2500 injured as the explosion rips through Lebanon's capital

Lebanese Health Minister Hassan Hamad says at least 25 people have been killed and more than 2,500 are wounded in a massive explosion at the port in Lebanon's capital, Beirut.

The explosion released a shock wave causing widespread damage to buildings and shattering windows in different parts of the city.

The explosion released a shock wave causing widespread damage to buildings and shattering windows in different parts of the city.

The blast occurred in the city's port area, where there were warehouses housing explosives, Lebanon's state news agency NNA and two security sources said. A third security source said there were chemicals stored in the area.

Hundreds of injured were taken to hospitals but many remain trapped in homes damaged by the explosion, the head of the Lebanese Red Cross said.

George Kettaneh told local media there was no exact figure of how many were injured as many were still trapped in homes and within the area of the blast. Others were being rescued by boat.

Lebanese broadcaster LBCI quoted Hotel Dieu Hospital in Beirut as saying that it was treating more than 500 injured and was not able to receive more. Tens of injured needed operations, the hospital said, appealing for blood donations.

It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze that set off the blast or what kind of explosives were in the warehouses. The governor of Beirut port told media that a team of firefighters at the scene had “disappeared” after the explosion.

 Lebanon's internal security Chief Abbas Ibrahim said the blast occurred in a section housing highly-explosive materials, and not explosives as had been reported earlier by the official state news agency NNA.

Meanwhile, Israel denied any role in the explosion. Israeli officials said that there is no reason to believe that explosion is an incident. 

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