Three children injured in gas explosion in residential block
Gas lines damaged and building evacuated in central city of Elad; police suspect blast caused by youths playing with explosives
Three children were hospitalized following a gas explosion at the entrance to a residential building in the central city of Elad on Sunday.
An initial investigation found that the children were playing with some type of explosive that went off at the entrance to the building, police said, announcing that they have opened an investigation into the incident.
Two of the children were moderately injured while the third suffered light injuries, Magen David Adom paramedics said. The three, all around 11 years old, were taken to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, the ambulance service added.
Police at the scene said the gas lines in the building were damaged as a result of the explosion, and they evacuated the apartment building.
Police and sappers were ensuring safety at the site.
The blast occurred on Ben Zakkai Street in the city, some 25 kilometers (16 miles) east of Tel Aviv.
Elad is one of the fastest-growing cities in Israel and was designed primarily with the ultra-Orthodox community in mind.