TYRE — An explosion of a Hamas weapons and ammunition warehouse in the Palestinian refugee camp Al-Burj Al-Shamali, in the port city of Tyre, southern Lebanon, has killed 13 people late Friday. According to the security sources, this is a preliminary count as the death toll could rise, with the possibility of some more being killed in the collapsed building in which the explosion took place. The Lebanese army, deployed in the vicinity of the explosion, and ambulances began to enter the camp to transport the injured. A plume of black smoke was seen over the site as rescuers sought to search for the survivors of injured. An official, from one of the Palestinian factions, stated that rescue teams had been deployed as the explosion area has been evacuated. The Lebanese army prevented entry and exit from the camp, as it had cordoned off the area around Burj Al-Shamali camp. According to the sources, the fire had been brought under control. Camp residents said that they heard a huge explosion near a mosque belonging to Hamas movement in Burj Al-Shamali camp, and soon a huge fire erupted. One of the camp's residents added that successive explosions were heard after the first explosion, as buildings shook with people beginning to run onto the street in fear. An investigation was opened to find out the circumstances of the explosion, as Lebanon's State Prosecutor of Appeal in the South Judge Rahif Ramadan has assigned the security services and explosives experts to inspect the warehouse. Meanwhile, a military source denied that the huge explosion in the ammunition, weapons and foodstuffs warehouse belonged to Hamas, saying that the causes of the fire have not been identified yet. It is noteworthy that one of the camp's officials has noted that the warehouse contained gas bottles and oxygen devices and did not contain ammunition. Hamas, meanwhile, has not issued any official statement about the huge explosion, which has its presence in a number of Palestinian camps in Lebanon. According to the sources, there are armed Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah movement, that control about 10 Palestinian camps in the country, which the Lebanese authorities have nothing to do with. — Agencies
