Why did the fuel crisis spread to homes?
The storage of fuels in residential neighborhoods, particularly in the basement and ground floors of buildings, caused fires more than once, especially in the capital, Beirut. The goal of storing fuel between homes is to ensure the continued operation of generators, which have recently become, with the electricity crisis in Lebanon, the main source of current in various regions. The Lebanese regions, including Beirut, live in pitch black at night, after most of the power generators stopped working due to the loss of fuel. The past weeks have witnessed several problems in more than one area, reaching the point of shooting and injuries to gas stations, due to the suffocating overcrowding in front of them. Lebanons import of fuel declined sharply, with foreign cash scarce, which made fuel storage inevitable for many Lebanese. Strong warning  This prompted the General Directorate of Oil in Lebanon to issue a statement in which it warned citizens and institutions against the spread of the phenomenon of storing fuels, especially gasoline.  These practices directly affect the security of citizens, their property and their lives, and endanger public safety by contributing to direct fires, she added. We are watching carefully the unknown.  In turn, the son of Al-Tariq Al-Jadida area in Beirut, Hajj Abu Muhammad Iskandarani, said: We have not forgotten what happened with our neighbors last year. The explosion that occurred in one of the residential buildings caused by storing gasoline led to deaths.  Khadija Al-Alti said: We live in a state of anxiety. The houses are full of women and children, and any fire might cause a catastrophe that we do not need.  Homes are not eligible  Commenting on fuel storage in homes, a source in the Engineers Syndicate told Sky News Arabia: There are no conditions for storing fuels between residential buildings, because basically they are not supposed to be between them.  He added, Gasoline, for example, is forbidden to be stored except in petrol stations, which must be far from residential areas.  Beirut and Tripoli municipalities  And the mayor of the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon, Doctor Riyad, said in an interview with Sky News Arabia: The matter is very dangerous.  He added: The municipal police escorts the internal security forces in accordance with the law upon receiving any complaint that reaches the municipality. In the event of arresting those who store gasoline, they are arrested immediately in accordance with the laws in force, and there is no leniency in this matter, as the temperature is very high and gasoline is time bombs.  He called on the Tripolitans to contact the municipality and its personal number in the event of suspicion of storing gasoline, diesel or other flammable materials. For his part, the head of the Beirut Municipality Council, Jamal Itani, told Sky News Arabia: The Beirut municipality guards are also in full readiness, in coordination with the directives of the citys governor. Patrols are not able to enter our homes until after receiving complaints, he added.