Deadly explosion strikes southern Lebanon, search for clues under way

The blast killed one person in the town of Banaafoul near the port city of Sidon, and demolished a two-floor municipality building and a scout centre for the Shia Amal movement.

Army personnel sealed off the building as they searched through the rubble.
Reuters

Army personnel sealed off the building as they searched through the rubble.

An explosion has ripped through a building in southern Lebanon, killing one person and wounding seven, a Lebanese security official has said.

Tuesday's blast in the town of Banaafoul, near the port city of Sidon, demolished the two-floor building that served as a municipality building and a scout centre for the Shia Amal movement.

According to the security official, the dead person was the son of the town’s mayor. 

It was not immediately clear what triggered the blast, which also caused material damage to nearby buildings and cars.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to give official statements, said the explosion may have been caused by diesel fuel stored inside the building. 

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Reuters

The blast also caused material damage to nearby buildings and cars.

Building sealed off 

One security source told Reuters news agency that the explosion was not an act of sabotage, without disclosing further details.

Other unconfirmed reports said the building contained a weapons cache. Army personnel sealed off the building as they searched through the rubble for clues and casualties.

On December 10, a large blast rocked a Palestinian camp in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre, injuring about a dozen people, according to rescue workers on scene and a Palestinian source inside the camp.

The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that the blast emanated from a Hamas weapons depot in the Burj al-Shemali camp and a judge had ordered security forces to launch an investigation.

READ MORE: Hamas blames Fatah for killing members in Lebanon refugee camp

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