The explosion that disrupted the calm of the "Beit Mask" residential project in northern Metn yesterday raised questions about the actual causes that led to seven injuries and severe damage to property. In detail, a loud explosion was heard around 10:30 AM yesterday, Friday, in the "Beit Mask" residential complex, which is still under construction. It was determined that the explosion occurred in the basement of one of the residential buildings, resulting in a fire and the blowing out of some essential walls of the apartment, alongside the glass facades of adjacent buildings. The Civil Defense rushed to the scene to extinguish the flames, and the Lebanese Red Cross transported seven injured individuals to hospitals, including five workers of Syrian nationality who were working on the construction site, a foreign woman (Ukrainian) and her eight-year-old son, who was rescued from the rubble.
As the security forces began an investigation into the incident, conflicting narratives emerged regarding the causes of the explosion. It was revealed that the Ukrainian woman and her son moved into the apartment just hours before, after returning from abroad on Thursday night when the company tasked with completing the maintenance work finished preparing the house. Information about the causes of the explosion varied, with project officials ruling out the possibility that it was caused by a gas leak inside the apartment, as all apartments are equipped with gas from an external tank and adhere to high levels of safety and security related to the internal supplies, which are also equipped with high-quality protection devices that automatically cut off the gas supply in case of any leak.
The initial report obtained by "Nidaa Al Watan" suggested that the explosion could have been caused by a malfunction in connecting the necessary plumbing for the "gas oven" to the network that feeds it from the external tank, following the homeowner's attempt to activate the "circuit breaker" and supply the apartment with gas, which led to a significant leak (approximately four propane) capable of reacting quickly with any electrical spark, resulting in the explosion that caused extensive damage.
While the same sources confirmed the high quality of the gas supply used in the apartment, as well as the protection systems even after the incident, they ruled out the possibility that the explosion was due to explosive materials, given the spread of the fire throughout the area, which differs from explosive materials that cause significant damage at the explosion site before spreading.
The extensive damage caused by the blast led eyewitnesses living in the adjacent apartments to dismiss the possibility of a gas leak, as they employ the same safety measures in their homes, with one noting that the fire was accompanied by odors similar to explosive materials, opening the door to several possibilities that the security forces are expanding upon.
As this narrative progressed during the afternoon hours, those responsible for the project worked to establish a security perimeter around the building, preventing journalists from approaching the scene after allowing all media outlets to come close and document the damages in the morning hours. One official reiterated to "Nidaa Al Watan" that all possibilities remain open until they can interview the homeowner and the company that completed the maintenance work inside the apartment.
