BEIRUT:A large explosion rocked a Palestinian camp in the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre on Friday night, causing a number of injuries and leading to reports of a number of deaths.
The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported an unspecified number of deaths and injuries while a Palestinian source inside the camp said at least 12 people had been injured and there were an unknown number of fatalities.
A security source said fatalities had not been recorded but there may be some in the collapsed building where the explosion took place.
The NNA reported that the blast emanated from a Hamas weapons depot in the Burj al-Shemali camp and a judge had ordered security forces to launch an investigation.
Shehab News Agency, seen as close to Hamas, quoted a Palestinian source as saying the explosion was caused by the ignition of oxygen canisters stored for use in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The security source said the fire had since been brought under control.
Hamas has not officially commented. It maintains a presence in a number of Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
The area surrounding the blast had been evacuated and rescue crews had deployed, the Palestinian source said.
Videos from the scene shared by local media show a number of small bright red flashes above the southern city, followed by a large explosion and the sound of glass breaking.
A number of armed Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Fatah Movement, hold effective control over roughly a dozen Palestinian camps in the country, which Lebanese authorities by custom do not enter.
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