Bonfires lit throughout Israel to mark Lag B’Omer burned out of control, stranding thousands of celebrants in the northern Israeli town of Meron.
Hot, dry and windy conditions in Israel contributed to several fires around the country. Eleven people were injured at Maasiyahu Prison in central Israel after a fire broke out in its wood factory.
A large fire broke out at Moshav Kfar Uria near Beit Shemesh, causing the evacuation of 200 people from their homes and damaging about 500 acres of forest. Several fires also burned out of control in the Jerusalem area and central Israel.
Meanwhile, thousands of people were stranded April 28 in Meron following Lag B’Omer celebrations at the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Due to overcrowding, buses had difficulty reaching the site to take home celebrants waiting in hot, dry conditions. There were reports of hundreds of people fainting, dehydration and heat exhaustion. Some 200,000 people reportedly visited Meron during the holiday that began April 27. — jta