Firefighters Tuesday extinguished a large blaze at an iconic building in central Beirut designed by renowned British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid.
Thick plumes of black smoke rose from the building Tuesday morning before Civil Defense volunteers arrived to bring the situation under control. The source of the fire is still unknown but a Civil Defense spokesperson said that an investigation would be launched into the incident.
The building on Patriarch Howayek Street in Beirut Souks has been under construction since 2016 and was set to be a five-level department store.
Fires continue to erupt at nearby Beirut Port following the massive Aug. 4 port explosion that killed more than 190 people and injured 6,500 more. Last Thursday the Lebanese Army and Civil Defense spent hours battling to put out a huge blaze at a warehouse containing tires and vegetable oil in the port.
