Special unit works on chemicals at Beirut blast site

A French emergency unit specialising in chemicals was on Monday securing an area of Beiut's port and identifying potential leaks from shipping containers that sustained heavy dam in last week's massive blast.

unit's main task is to identify and separate containers with chemical products as quickly as possible, one French officer said.

" risk is a flammable one because liquid is leaking as re are also or flammable liquids in or containers, re are also batteries, or or kinds of products which could increase risk of potential explosion," said Lieutenant Anthony, who did t give his last name.

So far, team has identified more than 20 potentially dangerous containers and is working on securing m with help of Lebanese firefighters.

chemical specialists were among 63 aid workers sent by France immediately following blast.

explosion, centered at Beirut port, is believed to have been caused by a fire that ignited a 2,750-ton stockpile of explosive ammonium nitrate.

material h been stored at port since 2013 with few safeguards despite numerous warnings of danger.

result was a disaster Lebanese blame squarely on ir leership's corruption and neglect.

blast killed at least 160 people and wounded about 6,000, in dition to destroying country's main port and damaging large parts of capital.

Losses from blast are estimated to be between $10 billion to $15 billion, and nearly 300,000 people were left homeless in immediate aftermath.

(Representative Im)