Adib Says Accountability is Essential after Port Fire

Prime Minister designate Mustafa Adib said the fire that broke out on Thursday at the Beirut port “can not be justified by anyone” stressing the need for accountability.

“No one can justify the fire at the port of Beirut yesterday. Accountability is key so that similar painful incidents do not become recurrent,” said Adib in a tweet.

The PM-designate hailed the rescue teams, “blessed are the efforts of firefighters, civil defense and Lebanese army for containing the fire,” he added.

A huge fire broke out Thursday at the Port of Beirut, the site of last month's catastrophic explosion that killed nearly 200 people and devastated parts of the capital.

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

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the fire at the facility. But citing preliminary reports, caretaker Public Works and Transport Minister Michel Najjar suggested that the fire was sparked by maintenance works.