Worker killed as fire destroys one of Lebanon's biggest factories

A massive factory fire in Lebanon, late on Tuesday, has left one person dead and many others wounded, as well as causing significant material damage.

The blaze at the Concord factory in the coastal town of Naameh, south of Beirut, reportedly started on the building's fifth floor but quickly spread to other parts of the structure. The fifth floor collapsed hours after the blaze began. 

Civil defence and firefighting teams rushed to the scene as the inferno grew.

One worker from Pakistan was reported killed and his body taken to a hospital.

إنهيار الطابق الخامس في معمل #كونكورد الذي تندلع فيه النيران في #الناعمة pic.twitter.com/KPHTHhvKZJ

— هنا لبنان (@thisislebnews) February 21, 2023

Tweet translation: "Collapse of the fifth floor of the Concord factory in Naameh where a fire has broken out."

Eight other workers who were stuck inside the factory and 21 who were on the rooftop were brought out safely, shortly before the roof collapsed, local reports said. Some injuries were serious and had to be hospitalised.

Authorities had ordered an evacuation of the entire surrounding area – at least 700 metres - fearing a possible explosion inside the factory, which manufactures and sells electronic home appliances.

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حصيلة عمليات الدفاع المدني داخل معمل الناعمة لغاية الان:
*انقاذ ٢١ عاملاً عن سطح مبنى المعمل بمساندة سلم الإنقاذ الخاص بفوج اطفاء بيروت
*سحب جثة احد العمال من داخل المعمل ونقله الى مستشفى سبلين الحكومي #بكل_الاوقات_حدك pic.twitter.com/eUF7yLHQyG

— الدفاع المدني اللبناني (@CivilDefenseLB) February 21, 2023

Tweet translation: "21 people saved from the factory's rooftop. One body was pulled out from inside the factory and taken to Siblin Public Hospital."

"Our teams worked all night to extinguish the fire. The main goal now is to isolate the building from the surrounding buildings," Civil Defence Gen. Director Raymond Khattar told local media.

He added that while the situation had improved early on 22 February, there were still fears that flammables inside the factory could explode. He urged security personnel to keep residents away until further notice.

The fire had nearly completely died out by Thursday noon.

An investigation was opened into the cause of the fire, which remained unclear.