Netanya – An explosion rocked a four-story building in Netanya overnight Thursday, leaving four people dead, and dozens injured.
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The blast caused the partial collapse of the building.
Police have sealed off Atzmaut Square. Drivers have been asked to keep away from the area.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the blast appeared to be a result of a gas cylinder exploding in a residential building. Many people use tanks of gas for cooking fuel.
He said police were still investigating the explosion to “confirm that it wasn’t the result of a terrorism incident.”
Netanya has been struck before by suicide bombers and other militant attacks. But the late hour of the explosion and the location appeared to indicate that it was an accident.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Police arrested a Netanya resident who they suspect may have cut a gas line causing a leak that led to the explosion, Israel Radio reported. The man was detained by Police earlier on Thursday and later released for trying to steal gas pipes which are made of metal that can later be sold, according to the report.
ברוך דיין האמת
These kinds of gas explosions have increasingly become more frequent. They should convert these buildings to piped natural gas and forbid the use of propane tanks which are visible on every balcony and back yard.
Bde
Three Chabad girls died in this blast when the went out to distribute Shabbos candles. Boruch Dayan Emes.
such a terrible thng. My girlfriend and I had coffee the night before right at that time May G-d Bless the family of the victims