Beirut explosion: Rescuers investigate ‘heartbeat in the rubble’

Rescuers in Beirut are searching through the rubble of a building amid reports a person could be alive – nearly one month after a powerful blast devastated the Lebanese capital.

Specialist sensor equipment has been brought to the Mar Mikhael area following unconfirmed reports that a heartbeat was detected.

More than 200 people died when 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in a port warehouse detonated on 4 August.

Some 300,000 people were left homeless.

There has been outrage that so much hazardous material was stored unsafely in the port.

The Lebanese government’s resignation shortly afterwards failed to pacify protesters, who clashed with police in the city for several nights.

In a separate development, four containers with 4.3 tonnes of ammonium nitrate were found on Thursday outside Beirut’s seaport, the army said.

It said its specialists examined the containers, but gave no further details.

A crowd has gathered at the collapsed building where a rescue team from Chile is working.

Local reports say they have detected the possibility that someone is alive beneath the rubble thanks to a sniffer dog and a scanner.

One local woman at the scene told the BBC that the rescuers passed by last night and the dog indicated there were signs of life.

One of those waiting for news is a young man holding a Lebanese flag. He told the BBC that when he heard the news he could not stay at home.

The Chilean rescuers arrived in Lebanon on 1 September. According to a local source, they have highly sensitive equipment which can detect breathing at a depth of 15m (49ft).

As of now there is no confirmation that anyone is alive under the rubble – but some of those gathered here are daring to hope, our correspondent says.

Mar Mikhael was one of the areas worst hit by the blast wave.

It is a historic neighbourhood that faces the port. It was famous for its night life before the disaster.