Some 30 Jews were wounded Wednesday night in the northeastern London neighborhood of Stamford Hill after an explosion occurred during a Lag B'Omer bonfire celebration. Ten people wounded in the blast were taken to a local hospital.
The bonfire was lit by the local congregation's rabbi in front of the local Beth Hamedrash Biala synagogue, and when a lit torch touched its base, a large fireball erupted and appeared to engulf those standing in close proximity.
Footage of the explosion (courtesy @Hatzola)
(קרדיט: הצלה לונדון @ Hatzola טוויטר)
While it was initially reported the fire was created by a smart phone exploding, the Jewish news site Yeshiva World News reported that the explosion was caused by fuel combusting, even though "multiple smart phones (were) placed inside the pile to be burned."
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The fireball erupting in the north London Lag B'Omer celebration
(Photo: Yeshiva World News)
According to eyewitnesses who spoke with the Jewish site, the community's rabbi spoke about the dangerous and corrupting effects of smart phones on the relgigion, and said he would burn one, echoing his Lag B'Omer speech from last year.
The condition of casualties was not immediately clear.
Lag B'Omer, a Jewish holiday celebrated by most with bonfires and barbecues, marks the day in which the Book of (Zohar) Splendor, a landmark text of Jewish mysticism, was first published by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
The customary bonfires, though, come this year at a time of high temperatures, dry weather and strong easterly winds, prompting many Israeli officials to urge against them for fear that larger fires may be kindled.
Fears were eventually proven to have been warranted, after several blazes erupted throughout the country, kicking Israel's fire services into action.