Smoke from Thursday's Beirut port fire 'no danger to city'

Head of Lebanon's civil defence tells residents there is nothing to worry about

Smoke rises from the port in Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday from a huge fire five weeks after a massive blast killed nearly 200 people and destroyed parts of the city. AP

A pall of smoke could be seen rising above Beirut's port overnight on Saturday, just two days after a large fire broke out and produced a cloud of smoke and ash that engulfed large parts of the Lebanese capital.

A security source said the smoke was coming from the remnants of Thursday's blaze, which reignited on Saturday. Firefighters, who have been stationed at the scene since Thursday, were putting out the embers, the source said, adding that there was no immediate danger to the city.

George Abou Moussa, head of Lebanon's civil defence, said there was nothing to worry about.

Local media carried images of a small fire and smoke emanating from the devastated port.

Thursday's blaze, which began in the port's closed duty-free zone, came weeks after a massive blast devastated the port and ruined large parts of the city. It prompted some residents, still traumatised by last month's explosion that had itself followed a port fire, to flee the city.