Huge fire breaks out at Beirut port just weeks after deadly blast

• Plumes of black smoke can be seen rising from the port

A huge fire has broken out at the Port of Beirut just a month after a massive explosion there claimed almost 200 lives.

The fire broke out on Thursday and it is not yet clear what caused it.

The facility had already been decimated by the August 4 blast when almost 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrates blew up.

At midday on Thursday, a column of black smoke billowed from the port with orange flames leaping from the ground.

The fire is at a warehouse where oil and tires are kept, the Lebanese army has said. They added that efforts to extinguish the blaze are ongoing and that army helicopters are taking part in the operation.

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Panicked residents cracked open windows and called each other to warn them of the new fire. 

Local TV stations said companies that have offices near the port have asked their employees to leave the area.

Lebanese troops closed the major road that passes near the port, referring traffic to other areas.

The August 4 explosion killed more than 190 people, injured around 6,500 and damaged thousands of buildings in the Lebanese capital.

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Police spokesman Col. Joseph Msalam said they have no information about what is happening at the port adding that the facility is currently under control of the army.

Asked about reports that the fire was caused by burning tires and oil, he said “I don’t know. It could be containers. I really don’t know what is there.”