BBC

A fuel tank has exploded in a densely populated area of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, killing at least four people and injuring 20.

The blast occurred after the tank caught fire in Tariq-al-Jdide district. TV footage showed flames leaping up buildings in the area's narrow streets.

There is no word on the cause of the fire. The rescue efforts are ongoing.

The blast caused panic in a city scarred by the explosion that killed 203 people in the port area in August.

The latest fire and explosion also comes amid a severe financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic - which have fuelled widespread discontent.

On Friday firefighters used ladders to scale the outside of apartment buildings to rescue residents from their balconies.

"The sound and our house shaking made us panic and the whole street I live in started screaming. I had flashbacks," tweeted one woman.

Happening beside my house now i can't believe it pic.twitter.com/SRWep530j2

— Léa (@leaisokeh) October 9, 2020

Lebanon is struggling to recover from August's explosion which experts say was one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history.