Lebanese firefighters extinguish burning cars in Beirut following a huge bomb explosion.
Lebanese firefighters extinguish burning cars in Beirut following a huge bomb explosion.
Hussein Malla/APA huge explosion in central Beirut has killed at least eight people and wounded at least 78, state media in Lebanon are reporting, according to NPR's Kelly McEvers. The target of the bomb isn't clear, but Reuters says the blast occurred on the same street that's home to a political group that opposes Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Twitter users are begging for city residents to answer phones, to ask friends to check on loved ones and to donate blood. Al Jazeera is showing video tape of bloody victims scrambling over debris in the mostly Christian Ashrafieh neighborhood while firefighters pour water on cars and rubble. Black smoke is belching into the sky.
Update at 10:15 a.m. ET. About That Area Of The City:
The BBC's Caroline Anning writes that "Sassine Square is in the heart of east Beirut's Ashrafiya district. It is a trendy area of shops and cafes, close to the popular ABC shopping mall. ... On a Friday afternoon, it is likely to have been full of cars and people. Ashrafiya is not an area prone to flare-ups of violence or political tension. ... This car-bomb attack, targeting a normally peaceful square in broad daylight, is bound to spread fear of a return to violence after four years of relative calm."
Update at 9:40 a.m. ET. Updates From Beirut:
Kelly, who is in Beirut, is posting updates on Twitter. She notes that:
"Credible journalist @javierespinosa2 reports a small crater at site of #Beirut explosion, suggesting bomb planted in car. Common tactic here"
Update at 9:35 a.m. ET: According to the BBC, "Friday's attack is the first major car bomb attack in Beirut for four years."
