The grain silos at the Beirut Port have become a symbol perpetuating the catastrophic event that shook the capital city on August 4th, 2020, and claimed the lives of more than 200 people.
At the same time, the silos offered a form of protection from an even more devastating impact. Representing loss, tragedy, fury, strength, and more, these silos no longer have a place in Beirut.
Experts from the Swiss company, Amann Engineering, have recommended that the Beirut Port’s grain silos be demolished to avoid a complete collapse of the structure, calling it an “unstable and moving structure.”
The company, which has been helping Lebanese authorities in laser scanning after the Beirut blast, added that new silos would have to be built in a different location.
“As much as the structure can be iconic, facts do show there is no way to ensure safety on even the medium term with the north block remaining as is,” the company wrote in its report.
The warnings from Swiss experts mirror the words of caretaker Economy Minister Raoul Nehme who, back in November, announced that the silos would be removed, citing a posed risk to public safety. However, Lebanese authorities have yet to do something about it.