Lebanon: Hezbollah warehouse blast due to ‘technical error’ | Middle East

The bomber struck shortly after noon in the southern village of Ain Ghana, about 50 kilometers south of the capital Beirut.

The arsenal of Hezbollah, a powerful Shia Muslim group in southern Lebanon, exploded, sending a new wave of shock across the country from a bomb blast in the capital that killed nearly 200 people in August.

The Lebanese military says it is investigating a bomb blast near a building in the southern village of Ain Kana, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the capital Beirut, on Tuesday.

Hezbollah’s media office told Al Jazeera that the explosion was caused by a “technical error” in their arsenal.

“The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a house where weapons had been stored. No one was killed or injured.

It was not immediately clear what the “bug” was that caused the powerful explosion.

Hezbollah members imposed a security cordon around the blast area, preventing journalists from reaching it.

Broadcast footage of the local al-Jadeed station caused damage to buildings and debris scattered over a large area.

Trembling scenes showed what appeared to be a minibus on fire. The wrecked SUV parked outside the damaged home is shown in other scenes.

The eruption comes seven weeks after a powerful explosion in the port of Beirut, caused by an explosion of nearly 3,000 tonnes of improperly stored ammonium nitrate.

The blast killed at least 200 people, wounded 6,500 and damaged tens of thousands of buildings in the capital, Beirut.

It is not yet clear what caused the initial fire that ignited the chemicals, and so far no one has claimed responsibility.

Ambulances block the road leading to the site of the blast that rocked the village of Ain Khana. [Mohammed Zaatari/AP Photo]