Massive explosion took place in beirut

massive explosion shook the Lebanese capital city of Beirut on Tuesday, with many feared dead from the blast and 

The explanation for the blast, which originated near the city's port, wasn't immediately clear. While early reports pointed to a fireplace at a fireworks storage facility, the director-general of Lebanese intelligence suggested that confiscated high-explosive materials stored at the local port triggered the explosion.

A red-orange cloud — the colour of which might be explained by nitrates — lingered over a part of the town after the explosion.

Numerous casualties and extensive damage are reported within the city.

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A massive explosion and a significant blast wave shook the Lebanese capital city of Beirut on Tuesday. Emergency workers are responding to extensive damages and a high number of casualties.

Videos of the large blast, the explanation for which remains unclear, quickly surfaced on social media.

Lebanon's National press agency reported that a fireplace had broken out at a fireworks warehouse, suggesting that this may need triggered an explosion.

Local reports said that the blast was felt many miles away.

Some observers said they suspected that the huge explosion was caused by the ignition of a flammable source sort of a container filled with fertilizer.

Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, the director-general of Lebanese intelligence, dismissed the fireworks explanation as "ridiculous," attributing the blast to confiscated high-explosive materials stored at the local port. Local media identified the fabric as soda niter .

Ibrahim said, though, that he wouldn't preempt the investigation.

A red-orange cloud — the colour of which might be explained by nitrates — lingered over the blast site shortly after the explosion.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear, but local reports indicated that while the blast was focused on the port area, there was widespread damage within the city.

The National press agency said there have been "countless" casualties. The country's health minister says that a minimum of 30 people are dead and quite 3,000 are wounded. The hospitals are overwhelmed to the purpose that some have had to show people away.

The country's prime minister said that Wednesday would be a national day of mourning.