Investigators have begun searching through the wreckage of Beirut’s port for clues to the cause of the massive explosion that ripped across the Lebanese capital, and the government ordered port officials put under house arrest amid speculation that negligence was to blame.
The investigation is focusing on how 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive chemical used in fertilizers, came to be stored at the facility for six years, and why nothing was done about it.
International aid flights began to arrive, as Lebanon’s leaders struggled to deal with the shocking aftermath of Tuesday’s blast, crippled by an economic crisis and facing a public that blames chronic mismanagement and corruption among the ruling elite for the disaster.
Smoke was still rising from the port, where towering grain silos was toppled.
Major downtown streets were littered with debris and damaged vehicles; building facades were blown out.
Authorities say at least 100 people were killed and 4,000 wounded, with the toll likely to rise as more bodies are being pulled from the rubble.
It's unclear what caused the blast, which appeared to have been triggered by a fire and struck with the force of an earthquake.
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