Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Ten people hurt in Jewish Festival explosion
Ten people suffered minor injuries when a bonfire exploded at a Jewish festival in London, police say.
Hatzola, a volunteer emergency medical service, said it provided a "mega response team" at the event in Stamford Hill.
Jewish news website The Yeshiva World said a bonfire exploded when it was lit.
The Metropolitan Police said there had been no reports of serious injuries or any criminal allegations.
It is unclear what caused the blast, although there are reports fuel was poured on the fire while others say at least one mobile phone was put into the fire.
The Yeshiva World website reported "shrieks and panic" after the explosion, said to have happened as a bonfire was lit to celebrate the Lag B'Omer Jewish holiday.
Some of the people treated for injuries reportedly suffered burns to their faces
London Fire Brigade said it had responded to several bonfires throughout the night.
Ten people were injured when a bonfire lit to celebrate the eve of a Jewish holiday exploded and sent a fireball into a crowd in north London.
Paramedics were called to the Lag BaOmer event in Stamford Hill on Wednesday evening.
Video posted to the internet showed dozens of people standing around the bonfire, which was reportedly soaked in oil.
As soon as a torch was used to light the bonfire, there was an explosion that sent crowds running.
Other reports said that at least one mobile phone had been put into the fire.
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A street bonfire to celebrate a Jewish holiday erupted “like a bomb” leaving 10 people injured, shocked witnesses said.
Seven of the injured were taken to hospital after the blast sent a fireball into the crowd at the Lag BaOmer event in Stamford Hill last night.
Witnesses said children were among those hit outside a synagogue. Video footage shows members of the community standing around the bonfire as it exploded moments after being lit with a torch.
The fire is traditionally made from cotton wool soaked in olive oil. It has been claimed locally that some children had poured petrol or another accelerant onto it before it was lit.
Witnesses claimed the explosion happened after a rabbi threw a mobile phone on to the fire having given a speech warning about the dangers of smartphones and the negative impact on young minds.
Rabbi Osher Shapiro was at the front of the crowd when it was being lit. He said: “He [the local rabbi] did put a smartphone on the bonfire. It is wrong to suggest that it caused the problem. The phone did not cause the explosion. It went up very fast. It was just a metal frame covered in cotton wool and olive oil.
“There were hundreds of children there and a lot of them were at the front to get a better view. Luckily there were barriers. Without those, the injuries could have been worse.”
Rabbi Shapiro added: “Putting the phone on the fire is symbolic to show the negative impact they can have on young people.”
Paramedics arrived in Ravensdale Road just before 9.30pm and treated 10 people at the scene. Those taken to hospital suffered minor burns and injuries. Hatzola, a Jewish volunteer emergency medical service, said it provided a “mega response team” and said “multiple patients were treated” at the scene.
Rachel Szwarc was at the event with her children aged four, six and eight. She said: “It went off like a bomb, people were screaming and shouting and tearing off their clothes because they were on fire. Everyone was trying to find their children.
“The children were all at the front to get a better view so they were the ones worst hit. My six-year-old had been at the front but luckily we went towards the back just before the fire was lit. We could see people with burns, it was very shocking.”
Community leader David Klein said seven children had been taken to hospital and all had been discharged. Organisers said that the phone thrown on to the fire did not have a battery. Lag BaOmer is a festive day corresponding to the date of the death of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
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This is the moment a huge fireball erupted from a bonfire in an explosion that left 10 people injured at a Jewish celebration in north London.
Dramatic footage shows dozens of people surrounding the fire in Stamford Hill before it explodes in the faces of those closest to the flames.
The footage, posted online by volunteer emergency responders Hatzola, appeared to show a number of people's clothing set alight after the huge fireball spread.
Large crowds had gathered in the area on Wednesday evening for the annual Jewish celebration of Lag BaOmer, which typically involves the lighting of bonfires.
Hatzola described the explosion as a “major incident” and said that paramedics were scrambled to the scene. Ten people suffered injuries but no one was seriously hurt, police said.
Hackney Police wrote on Twitter: “Ten individuals suffered minor injuries following large fire lit as part of local Jewish community celebration in Ravensdale Road, Stamford Hill.
“No criminal allegations reported. No serious injuries.”
The Standard has approached the London Ambulance Service and the Metropolitan Police for further comment.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear but there have been unconfirmed reports it erupted due to mobile phones on the bonfire.
