10:00PM EST: Fire caused major damage to one of Geneva‘s Shuls Thursday and police said they suspect arson. More than 40 firefighters were needed to extinguish the blaze, which broke out at 5:00AM in the Hekhal Haness Synagogue in the city’s Malagnou neighborhood. The fire was brought under control in an hour, but the blaze and smoke appeared to have destroyed much of the interior of the building, police spokesman Philippe Cosandey said. The fire investigation is proceeding on the presumption that it may have been arson because there appeared to be several sources of the fire.
11:50PM EST: Haaretz is reporting that fire officials are now stating that the fire originated in a faulty circuit breaker – countering all previous arson reports. In addition, all Sifrei Torah were rescued from the early morning blaze.
