A massive fire that broke out in electricity storage facilities in the Kremia area south of the capital, Tripoli, has gotten out of control, with flames spreading to surrounding areas, threatening to burn dozens of nearby homes, amid fears that it could extend to nearby gas lines. Eyewitnesses reported that the fire, which ignited on Sunday evening, spread rapidly and widely in all directions, reaching heights of dozens of meters, with loud explosions heard. Firefighters are struggling to extinguish the uncontrollable blaze, with reports of injuries.
The ongoing fires compelled National Unity Government Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah to issue orders for the forced evacuation of residents living near the burning areas and to provide ambulances. The Chairman of the Electricity Company also called for the formation of committees to investigate the causes of the fire and provide a detailed report.
Meanwhile, official authorities have not yet disclosed the reasons for the fire, which created a notable smoke cloud over a large part of Tripoli, nor the extent of the damage caused. The Electric Police Administration confirmed in a statement that excavation operations caused the fire, clarifying that a heavy machine was uprooting trees near the station, which damaged an electricity cable that led to the burning of cells inside the station.
Additionally, the General Electricity Company wrote to the Public Prosecutor's Office to open an investigation into the fire in the company’s warehouses in the Kremia area and to determine the reasons that led to its outbreak, and whether it was intentional or not.
