LONDON: A fire broke out on Monday at a warehouse storing fireworks in Jouret El-Ballout, near Broummana in Lebanon’s northern Metn district, triggering explosions and sending thick plumes of smoke over the area, local media reported.

The smoke was visible from surrounding areas, including near Dbayeh, as firefighters rushed to the scene.

The Jouret El-Ballout municipality said Civil Defense crews, accompanied by municipal police, brought the blaze under control. It said the affected warehouses were on a residential property

Local media reported that the warehouse belonged to a fireworks business owned by Jreis Naoum.

No injuries were reported in an initial assessment, the municipality said.

The cause remained under investigation, and officials urged residents not to circulate unverified information.