After a blast of historic proportions at Beirut's port last year, Lebanon only escaped a second chemical inferno by chance, the German company clearing the dockside has said.
Michael Wentler, a chemical expert managing Combi Lift's Beirut operation, said thousands of litres of dangerous substances stored in decaying containers for more than a decade at the port had turned the area into a minefield of chemical hazards.
"We found substances that, if mixed together, would lead to an explosion," he told AFP on Wednesday, recounting an assignment he said compared to no other.
"The port is lucky, because the containers have a distance" between them, Mr Wentler added.
There were a series of subsequent blazes in the port since the August 4 explosion, which killed more than 200 people and devastated parts of Beirut.
Heavy lift transport company Combi Lift in November signed a contract with Lebanese authorities to deal with the hazardous substances at the blast site.
This month, Mr Wentler and his team finished treating 52 containers, in a process he said revealed the lethal chaos that has long prevailed at Beirut harbour.
"I have never seen a situation like this before in my life," Mr Wentler said, describing festering chemical mixtures so corrosive they burned gaping holes right through massive shipping containers.
"You have like a sea or a river of yellow and green substances that came out" of some containers, he added. "These chemicals were bubbling."
The containers – which have been at the port for more than 10 years – were stored haphazardly in seven different locations. Most were located in an open-air cargo zone at the opposite end of the blast site.
Interim port chief Bassem Al-Kaisi said in November that Beirut could have been "wiped out" if the substances caught fire.
The August 4 blast was caused by tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been inadequately stored for more than six years.
Authorities are yet to explain why the large fertiliser shipment ended up in Lebanon, and why it stayed there so long.
The origin of chemical substances treated by Combi Lift is no clearer.
"None of the authorities seem to know anything about these shipments," Mr Wentler said, apart from the date they entered the port.
"I don't think the port authorities know what they have on site, inside the port."
Last year's blast severely disfigured the containers, which were already decaying and punctured with acid burns after years of neglect.
"It was not possible to lift or move many of the containers, because their condition was so bad," Mr Wentler said, meaning experts had to move the chemicals by hand.
Mr Wentler said he was saved by a hazmat suit when hydrochloric acid burned through the bottom of a barrel he was lifting and splashed to the ground.
Hydrochloric acid, a corrosive and toxic substance, made up 60 per cent of the chemicals Combi Lift came across, Mr Wentler said.
The firm also had to handle thousands of litres of acetone, which is highly flammable, and containers of hydrogen peroxide, a liquid substance, which if mixed together could lead to an explosion, Mr Wentler said.
By chance, the containers of acetone and hydrogen peroxide were stored in separate locations, Mr Wentler added.
The "most dangerous" chemicals treated included hydrofluoric acid, which can be deadly if it enters the bloodstream or makes contact with the skin, according to Mr Wentler.
The substances were sealed in special containers that Combi Lift plans to ship to Germany at the end of February.
The Lebanese government has yet to pay the Dh7.34 million ($2 million) it owes the company – half of which should be paid up front when the containers are loaded before departure, Mr Wentler added.
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Series result
1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets
2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets
4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets
5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
