A quick-thinking father from Beirut has gone viral after home CCTV captured the moment he instinctively protected his son during the deadly blast that rocked the city on August 4.
Footage shows Hamed Allawi at home with six-year-old son Noureddine during the moment of the blast that originated in the city’s port.
The moment shows Allawi run for cover as the shockwave from the explosion hits their building in the Mala’ab area of the city, three kilometres away from the the blast site.
He quickly takes Noureddine out of harm’s way and places him underneath the dining room table.
Allawi told Newsflare: "While I was playing with my six-year-old child Noureddine with PC games, I recognized that the floor is shaking under our feet.
"At first, I thought that Beirut in under an earthquake.
"The first thing I did is to move toward my son and grab him and comfort him rubbing on his back and telling him that everything is ok.
"Suddenly, we heard a very loud sound with a massive amount of dust covering our apartment."
Allawi explained that he thought the building was going to collapse on top of them in a state of confusion.
"I held him and started looking around in order to find a safe place to cover him and prevent any object falling on us.
"Describing what happened and what we experienced is very hard and painful.
"At the first second, I thought we are going to die all my focus was to protect my child and ensure he makes it through this.
"I know that this moment will remain carved in my child’s memory, and I hope and know that I will always be his hero."
