Suspect held in Haifa explosion that badly hurt 10-year-old

Haifa police arrested a local business owner Tuesday on suspicion that he man caused an explosion the night before that critically injured a 10-year-old girl.

The explosion late Monday night was originally believed to be an accident, possibly caused by a leak, like the explosion in a Jerusalem apartment building last year.

But police now believe the suspect, 29, started a fire in a competitor’s store, in a small act of arson that grew out of control and ignited the gas tank.

The 10-year-old was outside of the small shop when it exploded.

She remains in critical but stable condition in the Ruth Children’s Hospital in Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center.

A woman who was also nearby was lightly injured, and the young girl’s teenage brother, who was with her, was treated for shock.

The girl’s father, Yosef Errol, told the Ynet news site: “Last night my daughter and her brother, a 16-year-old, went out to play together as they do most days. They came to the Hassan Shukri neighborhood. My son called me, ‘Dad, there was a big explosion next to the gas station. My sister flew through air. I don’t know what happened. Come now.’ He hung up, and I immediately drove to the scene with my wife and other daughter. When I arrived I saw my daughter seriously injured. I didn’t believe that it could happen.”

The fire department’s investigations unit began inspecting the scene and its findings led to the arrest of the suspect.

Errol added, “I’ve heard several versions. They said a gas canister just exploded, but this morning they said it was a criminal incident. At this stage what’s important to me is that my girl comes out of this danger and returns to her family. It is very difficult for us to handle this situation.”