Aoun to Defense Council: Mistakes that Lead to Fires No Longer Acceptable

President Michel Aoun on Thursday convened the Higher Defense Council to discuss the new fire that erupted earlier in the day at the blast-hit Beirut port.

"Today's fire could be an intentional act of sabotage, the result of a technical error, ignorance, or negligence. In all cases, the cause needs to be known as soon as possible, and those responsible held to account," Aoun said during the meeting, according to his office.

"Mistakes of any kind that lead to such a fire are no longer acceptable, especially after the disaster caused by the first blaze," he added.

Stressing that "effective measures must be mulled to guarantee that what happened won't be repeated," Aoun demanded the formation of a panel led by the public works minister and comprising representatives of security agencies and the port administration to "devise a new work regulations for the port and ensure public safety in it."

The Higher Defense Council later issued a statement saying it has asked security agencies and the Beirut port administration to "inspect the contents of the port's hangars and containers."

The Council added that it discussed "the issue of the goods and material present at the warehouses of the ports and the airport, especially the dangerous ones which should be destroyed or disposed of in line with the applicable regulations and laws to avoid any disastrous incidents."

The Beirut port is the site of last month's catastrophic explosion that killed nearly 200 people and devastated parts of the capital.

The new fire comes nearly 40 days after the blast triggered widespread panic among traumatized residents of the area.

Citing preliminary reports, caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister blamed the new blaze on maintenance works.