Status: 02/23/2023 8:12 p.m
Two and a half years after the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut, a London court has held a British chemical company partly responsible. The families of the victims are now hoping for compensation.
For the first time since the explosion disaster in the port of the Lebanese capital Beirut two and a half years ago, a court has issued a verdict in the case and named the guilty. The High Court in London ruled that a chemical company must assume liability for the victims, according to the Lebanon Bar Association.
The judges therefore considered it proven that the Savaro company, based in Great Britain, had supplied large quantities of ammonium nitrate to the Mediterranean country. The highly explosive chemical, which has been stored in the port of Beirut for years without protective measures, is said to have caused the explosion.
For the relatives of the victims, it is the first legal success in the matter. Because in Lebanon itself, the investigations are making little progress. Accused ex-ministers and those responsible from the judiciary have been delaying the investigation process for a long time. Many Lebanese blame the political leadership for the catastrophe, which they accuse, among other things, of corruption and a cover-up.
More than 190 people died in the explosion
The Lebanese Bar Association had sought the civil action in London on behalf of several relatives. The plaintiffs hope that the verdict will give impetus to further processes. In the further course of the proceedings, the London judges now want to set a compensation amount for the victims, according to the Bar Association.
In order to avoid a fine, officials at the company had reportedly tried unsuccessfully to disband Savaro. The group initially did not comment on the court decision.
The explosion in Beirut in August 2020 killed more than 190 people and injured around 6,000. The detonation had also destroyed large parts of the port and the surrounding residential areas.