A yeshiva in eastern England was devastated overnight after a fire broke out Sunday.
The fire broke out inside a building used by the Luzern Yeshiva in Canvey Island, in Essex, sometime after 9:00 p.m. Sunday night.
The yeshiva’s roughly 100 students were away at the time of the fire, visiting the home of the school dean, Rabbi Moshe Koppelman, for a Hanukkah party.
Initial reports suggest the fire may have been caused by an unattended Hanukkah menorah.
Seven firefighting teams were dispatched to the scene to combat the fire, containing the blaze after an hour.
No injuries were reported in the blaze, though the yeshiva suffered significant damage, with numerous Torah scrolls, prayer books, and the students' phylacteries destroyed.
While the yeshiva’s study hall was destroyed in the fire, there are conflicting reports on whether the dormitory was also burned in the blaze.