Parents of infant victim of Beirut blast battle for justice - in pictures

The explosion in the Lebanese capital destroyed swathes of the eastern side of the city and killed more than 215 people

Paul and Tracy Naggear have been grieving since the explosion that tore through the Lebanese capital in 2020 killed their three-year-old daughter. All photos: AFP

The August 4 blast, blamed on a fire that ignited tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser haphazardly stored for years at Beirut harbour, was one of the largest non-nuclear detonations ever recorded.

Paul and Tracy moved out of Beirut and settled in the mountain town of Beit Mery, 10 kilometres away following the blast. The walls and shelves of their home are adorned with pictures of Alexandra.

After the disaster, Lebanon's ruling elite drew even more public ire by interfering in an investigation that aimed to pinpoint culpability. The lead investigator, Tarek Bitar, has been barred from proceeding by a series of lawsuits filed by political leaders since last year.

Parliament member Melhem Khalaf, a former Beirut bar association head, has tried to fight the official impunity, but both domestic and external factors have hampered investigations.

Top: Antoun Al Ahwaji, a victim of the August 4 Beirut port blast, standing on the balcony of his renovated apartment overlooking Beirut’s grain silos on August 2, 2022. Below: A photo taken on August 6, 2020 of him injured two days after the explosion.

Top: Leila Gholam posing inside her renovated apartment in Beirut's Gemayzeh neighbourhood on July 29, 2022. Below: a photo taken on August 6, 2020 shows her inspecting her damaged house.

Top: Lebanese hairdresser Kamal Khaddaj inside his shop in Beirut's Gemayzeh neighbourhood, two years after the Beirut port explosion. Below: Mr Khaddaj at his destroyed shop after the explosion.

Top: Pierre Mrad inside his renovated shop in Beirut's Gemayzeh neighbourhood on August 1, 2022. Below: a photo taken on August 12, 2020 shows him injured inside his destroyed shop after the port explosion.

More from The National:

To understand Lebanon today, look at Beirut's collapsing port

US lawsuit for Lebanon port explosion victims ‘to move quickly’

Lebanon Cabinet approves demolition of Beirut silos damaged in port blast

Lebanon asks Russia for satellite images from day of Beirut blast

Lebanon awaits further aid on Beirut explosion anniversary