Miqati Calls for 'Saving Lebanese', Vows to Work for Blast-Hit Akkar

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati on Sunday commented on the tragic explosion in the Akkar town of Tleil.

“Akkar’s sad night has bloodied our hearts all over innocents who fell victim to the greed of those who exploited the fuel crisis to achieve illegitimate profits and deprive people of the least of their rights,” Miqati said in a written statement.

“What happened pleads to the conscience of everyone to cooperate to save the Lebanese from the tragedies, catastrophes and negligence they are reeling from,” the PM-designate added.

“We are determined to carry on with our strenuous work so that Akkar does not remain a prey to monopolizers and greedy people,” Miqati went on to say.

A warehouse where fuel was illegally stored exploded in Tleil early Sunday, killing 20 people and burning dozens more in the latest tragedy to hit the country which is in the throes of a devastating economic and political crisis.

Tleil is about 4 kilometers from the Syrian border, but it was not immediately clear if the fuel was being prepared to be smuggled to Syria, where prices are much higher compared to those in Lebanon.

A Lebanese military official said the explosion occurred after the army confiscated a warehouse in Tleil where about 60,000 liters of gasoline were stored and the order was given to distribute the fuel to residents of the area. Residents had gathered to acquire the scarce commodity, available only on the black market at exorbitant prices or not at all.