A large fire erupted at Beirut port on Thursday, engulfing parts of the Lebanese capital in a pall of smoke weeks after a massive blast devastated the port and ruined a swathe of the city.
The blaze began in the shattered duty-free zone of the port, prompting some residents to flee the city still traumatised by last month's explosion that had followed a port fire.
Army helicopters dropped water as firefighters battled on the ground to bring the blaze under control. By nightfall, officials said most flames had been extinguished. Smoke still rose from smouldering wreckage but it was far