Two of the hikers who were seen running away from the scene of the Palisades fire as it was just beginning have given interviews to two publications.
Beni Oren and five of his friends have emerged as suspects on social media after posting recordings of them laughing while running away from the blaze to X. Oren has prompted even more suspicion by deleting his account, having gone viral on account of the videos.
However, the hiker did speak to NBC, telling the outlet he was on a trail run with his pals near a local landmark called Skull Rock on January 7 when they smelled smoke. He claims they turned and approached the flames out of curiosity but realized they would need to get out of the area fast as the wind was blowing the fire in their direction.
“It was a bizarre experience realizing like, f**k, is all this about to be on fire?” Oren said.
Kai Cranmore, who was part of the group, admitted it wasn’t the best day for hiking, as the weather forecast predicted heavy winds. But he and his friends hit the trail anyway, given that they were all experienced hikers and rock-climbed together often.
🚨 #BREAKING New footage seems to show the first moments after the #PalisadesFire started and it shows the exact starting location, which appears to be near a trail.
Footage by @BeniOren1 pic.twitter.com/yiCLKCxBve
— Frum TikTok (@FrumTikTok) January 12, 2025
