Bus Blows Up in Jerusalem, 21 Injured in Terror Attack

21 people were injured on Monday afternoon in a terrorist bomb explosion on a bus on Moshe Bar'am Street near Hebron Road in Jerusalem, security sources reported. Two of the victims, a man, 30, and a woman, 28, were critically injured, six moderately and the rest sustained light injuries, including two children ages 10 and 12.

As a result of the initial explosion of an empty bus, another bus, which carried passengers, and a private car caught fire. Eight victims were evacuated to Sha'are Tsedek hospital and the rest to Hadassah Ein Kerem. According to MDA, the victims suffered burns, smoke inhalation and cuts.

Large police forces arrived at the scene with sappers who scanned the area for additional explosives, as well as four firefighting crews that put out the fires.

Jerusalem District Police Commander Major General Yoram Halevy told the press, "At this stage of the investigation we are trying to find out who placed the explosive load, and how they reached the bus. We are in full deployment of the district forces and prepared for every scenario."

Halevy admitted that there were no intelligence alerts regarding the planted explosives and it isn't clear whether the perpetrator was a suicide bomber. A seriously wounded Arab from eastern Jerusalem was found on the bus without any ID, adding to suspicions that this was a terror attack.

Udi Gal, spokesman for the Jerusalem Fire Dept. told the press that "enormous flames that erupted in one bus reached the other. Both buses were ignited completely and a nearby vehicle was burnt as well. Luckily, no one was trapped inside."

Gal, who spoke before police announced the attack had been the act of a terrorist, said there were an average of 200 cases of spontaneous combustion of buses a year in Israel.

As of 6:15 PM Jerusalem time (11:15 AM NY) the fires were put out.

The Jewish Press will update the story as new details come in.

Police units respond to possible explosion on bus in Jerusalem. Emergency units on scene pic.twitter.com/dM2FeJQcSE

— Micky Rosenfeld (@MickyRosenfeld) April 18, 2016