Falls, violence mar Lag Ba’omer; MDA treats 230

Some 150 of the injuries during the minor holiday occurred at Meron, Magen David Adom said.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Lag Baomer bonfire 390 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Lag Baomer bonfire 390
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
About 230 people – adults and children – were injured during the Lag Ba’omer festivities from Wednesday night through Thursday at Mount Meron near Safed and throughout the country.
Some 150 of the injuries during the minor holiday occurred at Meron, Magen David Adom said.
The injuries included burns, over-consumption of alcohol and violence. Hundreds of thousands of people were at Meron, where hundreds of doctors, paramedics, medics and others were on duty.
MDA said that one of the injured was a 24- year-old man who fell from a height of four meters where many people were seated to observe the festivities. He was taken by helicopter to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa in serious condition.
In addition, a man about 60 needed evacuation by helicopter to Ziv Medical Center in Safed after paramedics thought he had suffered a heart attack. He is in stable condition.
Two dozen people were taken to hospitals in the North suffering from fractures caused by falling and being pressed by the crowd; fainting; dehydration; bruises; and asthma attacks. Others were treated on the spot at MDA’s two mobile clinics at Meron. Mobile intensive care units were also at the ready to give first aid.
MDA staffers and volunteers were busy at bonfires around the country. Nearly 30 people suffered light burns, bruises or were overcome by smoke. Almost 60 were hurt at sites away from Meron and had to be evacuated to hospitals.