Man seriously hurt in minibus explosion that police say is tied to organized crime

Driver of vehicle, 60, suffers 2nd and 3rd degree burns to half his body when bomb goes off inside vehicle he was driving near the central city of Holon

Screen capture from video a burning minibus following an explosion in the vehicle at the Wolfson Interchange, May 27, 2024. (X. Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Screen capture from video a burning minibus following an explosion in the vehicle at the Wolfson Interchange, May 27, 2024. (X. Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

A man was seriously injured when the minibus he was in exploded near the central city of Holon on Monday, Israel Police said, assessing that the incident was tied to organized crime groups and not a terror attack.

Medics said the 60-year-old was badly burned. He was apparently the driver of the minibus and the only person in the vehicle at the time.

The explosion happened as the minibus was driving along a road at the Wolfson Interchange between Tel Aviv and Holon in the central region of the county.

Residents for kilometers around reported hearing the blast, and smoke from the burning vehicle was visible across the region.

Police opened an investigation.

Staff at the Ayalon district station of the Magen David Adom ambulance service reported they also heard the blast and soon received calls alerting them to the incident.

Medics said when they arrived at the scene they found the minibus on fire and, lying close to it, a fully conscious man with second- and third-degree burns on 50 percent of his body, as well as shrapnel injuries.

Medics rushed the man by ambulance to the nearby Wolfson Medical Center.

The explosion comes amid a wave of violent incidents tied to feuds between organized crime groups around the country.

Earlier this month three men were shot dead in separate incidents related to warring crime groups.

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