Her mother tried saving her from the blast but she had to dig the 3-year-old out of the rubble.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 10, 2020. It has since been updated.
It's hard enough to lose a child but it's harder when your time with them ends unexpectedly. Sometimes whatever you do, you cannot save your child from what God has planned, even if it's unfair. The Beirut blast of August 4 claimed at least 158 victims, and the latest victim is a three-year-old girl who had just started to live her life.
Alexandra Naggear, 3, died from injuries three days after the horrendous blast. The intensity of the blast ripped her away from the protective arms of her mother. According to The Daily Mail, Alexandra was watching the initial fire which had broken in the warehouse with her mother, Tracy Naggear, and father Paul Naggear from their high-rise flat's balcony.
Minutes later after the first explosion hit, Tracy picked her daughter in her arms in an attempt to keep her safe and ran away from the glass. But the impact of the second blast was so strong that the little girl was thrown away from her parents.
"They were on the balcony just watching like most people," said Alexandra's grandfather, Michel Awwad. "My daughter said she saw a huge grey object falling from the sky and she started screaming for them to run inside."
As he continued to recall the horrific incident, he said, "She was trying to cover Alexandra, she was holding her daughter and trying to cover her. But the pressure of the explosion was so intense and she couldn't keep hold of her and they flew inside the house." The parents, in a traumatic change of scenario, had to dig their daughter out of the debris which took several minutes.
Alexandra Najjar, 3 years old, died today from her wounds caused by the explosion at Beirut port. I issue my condolences to her family. #AlexandraNajjar pic.twitter.com/kh5TkGq50P
— Hisham Badawy (@HishamBadawy) August 8, 2020
Sixty-year-old Michel believes that his granddaughter must've hit her head against the piano or a door during the blast, which lead to her serious injuries. Tracy, 33, and Paul, 36, rushed to the nearest hospital on a motorbike without wasting time. Unfortunately, even the hospital building had suffered due to the blast, and they had to take her to another one.
Heartbroken Tracey could not control her emotions looking at the condition of her daughter while talking to her father. "I got through to Tracy, she was screaming on the phone, telling me I think we have lost Alexandra. She was a very smart girl, it's so sad it ended like this," revealed Michel. The toddler had suffered from broken ribs along with twelve stitches on her face.
According to The Mirror, the warehouse contained 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, an industrial chemical commonly used around the world as an agricultural fertilizer, and in explosives for mining. According to the officials, it had been stored in perilous conditions since 2013, reports CNN. An investigation has already been launched to reach the core of the issue. Tracy wasn't the only one who was feeling the pain of the immense loss. Paul in a TV interview said that his girl was "not a martyr, she is a victim." Directing his words to the government, he said, "You killed us inside our homes. Renounce your parties and unite to overthrow the system."
Michel said, "I have seen tragedies in Lebanon since 1975. Every time we say it will get better. I don't believe this anymore. This country is run by war criminals. This time people are fed up, some want to stay and fight but the majority who have the chance to leave will leave."
Thousand of protestors were seen on Martyr's Square in the city center blaming the Lebanese government for the blast that had the power of a magnitude 3.3 earthquake and their negligence, which not only destroyed homes and businesses of people into a mere rubble of concrete but also claimed so many innocent lives.
Lebanese anti-riot police fired rubber bullets and water cannons at stone-throwing demonstrators in Lebanese capital on Sunday, as hundreds were injured in a weekend of rare violence. Medics said 90 people were injured in the latest clashes. #Lebanonclash pic.twitter.com/GaJoQlXALd
— 24 News HD (@24NewsHD) January 19, 2020
Approximately, 728 people are believed to have gotten injured in the clash. Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab has hinted towards holding an early election as his government is facing a fallout. On August 9, the world leaders pledged to rebuild Beirut by promising more than 252.7 million euros ($298 million) to the Lebanese capital after the port blast.
But one has to understand that all this monetary help won't help bring back the loss that the people have suffered. Tracy and Paul won't be able to hold their daughter, Alexandra, in their arms again. All we can do is offer our prayers for the soul of the little child and all those who've lost their lives.
References:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/girl-3-dies-injuries-days-22494758
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/08/05/middleeast/ammonium-nitrate-beirut-blast-intl/index.html
