A fire broke out this afternoon, Thursday, in the wooden tower located in the center of Palm Island, also known as Rabbit Island, at the port, causing damage to the tower and some waste materials. Following the incident, Environment Minister Nasser Yassin conducted communications with the military command, naval forces, city officials, and the park committee. As a result, evacuees from the island were swiftly transported by boats, and efforts to extinguish the fire were initiated. Minister Yassin also contacted Environmental Prosecutor Ghassan Basil to conduct a criminal investigation to uncover the circumstances of the fire. Yassin announced immediate actions to initiate an administrative investigation by the Ministry of Environment, as well as to assess the state of the park to activate it and prevent any further errors during the summer season. Key measures include securing park guards and ensuring the availability of initial firefighting equipment, which had been distributed earlier, in collaboration with the army to support the summer season and guarantee the protection of the island's biodiversity.
Two helicopters from the Lebanese Air Force participated in extinguishing the fire that broke out in the Palm Island Nature Reserve, alongside two naval vessels that assisted in evacuating citizens to the shore.
