A Lebanese man evacuates a wounded woman from the site of an explosion in Beirut Beirut – Georges Chahine More than 20 kg of explosive TNT detonated in a car bomb on Friday in al-Ashrafeya, killing eight citizens and injuring another 72, according to new information received by Arabstoday. Arabstoday earlier reported a car bomb had rocked central Beirut at 2:30pm in Sassin Square at the centre of the Christian area of Beirut.
The bombing, which took place in a crowded area with restaurants, banks, commercial institutions, a Starbucks coffee shop, was some 250 metres  from al- Ashrafieh house in the Lebanese Kataieb Party and 350 metres from the headquarters of the secretariat general of March 14 forces.
National Defence and Red Cross vehicles rushed to the scene to help the injured.
Of the injured 22 were transferred to Rizk hospital, 12 to al-Roum hospital, 20 were taken to Hotel Dieu hospital and two to the Canadian Lebanese hospital.
The remains of one person found were found at the scene of the explosion, which took place during the rush hour when many workers were making their journey home.
Lebanese Interior Minister, General Marwan Cherbel, inspected the scene accompanied by a number of senior security leaders and Lebanese army officers.
The government’s commissioner to the military court, Fadi Aqiqi, arrived on the scene to investigate the explosion.
A prominent Lebanese figure has claimed the explosion wasn\'t targeting anyone in particular, but was aimed at frightening people.
Casualty numbers are expected to rise.