Beirut Lebanon blast
The Lebanese prosecutor probing last summer’s port explosion in Beirut filed charges on Thursday against the caretaker prime minister and three former ministers. Image Credit: AP

Cairo: A Lebanese judge, investigating the deadly explosion that hit Beirut in August, has charged caretaker government with negligence that caused many deaths, Lebanon’s official news agency reported Thursday.

Judge Fadi Sawan also charged former ministers Ali Hassan, Ghazi Zaieter and Youssef Fenianos in the same case, the agency added.

The judge has set next Monday for questioning Diab and Tuesday and Wednesday for the ex-ministers.

The August 4 blast at the Beirut Port killed around 200 people and injured other thousands.

The explosion fuelled public discontent and forced the Diab government to resign and continue work in a caretaker capacity. Thursday’s indictment comes amid Lebanon’s worst economic crisis in decades.