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A viral video showing a group of young men fleeing the initial site of the massive Palisades fire in Los Angeles, USA, has fueled intense online speculation and conspiracy theories.
The blaze began on January 7 near Temescal Canyon, which scorched 24,000 acres and destroyed over 12,000 structures.
Taking on his X page (formerly known as Twitter) on January 8, a man named Beni Oren uploaded a video showing six friends near a popular scenic lookout in Temescal Canyon.
The video was uploaded shortly after the blaze broke out in Pacific Palisades and amassed nearly 591,000 views.
A viral video showed a group of young men fleeing the initial site of the massive Palisades fire in Los Angeles, USA
Image credits: BeniOren1
Beni wrote in the caption: “My friends and I got ambushed by the Palisades fire soon after it started.
“We hiked up to Skull Rock and smelled smoke as we were hanging. We quickly had to run for our lives.”
The clip quickly sparked suspicions, as an X user commented: “There are no coincidences. Kids playing with matches and fire got out of control.”
Image credits: BeniOren1
“They’re running like they’re guilty. They should be interviewed by police and fire departments. The simplest answer is typically the correct answer.”
A person asked: “What exactly were you doing up there at the exact moment the fire broke out? Coincidence?”
Someone else penned: “No doubt a lightning strike started the fire on a clear day.”
The viral clip has fueled intense online speculation and conspiracy theories
Image credits: BeniOren1
A viewer questioned: “Smoking weed up there?”
A commentator wrote: “Or were you fooling around, and you started a fire, and it got out of control.
“No one else around but you is very suspicious.”
#cawx palisades fire right after it started pic.twitter.com/wg7NDsmcVo
— Beni Oren (@BeniOren1) January 8, 2025
“Barely missed the arsonist,” a netizen remarked.
A separate individual chimed in: “Almost looks like you started the fire.”
Amid the growing number of accusations against the group of men, Beni shared an update on X on Monday (January 13), stating: “Interesting to see how apophenic humans are and how quick they jump to conclusions.”
The blaze began on January 7 near Temescal Canyon, has scorched 24,000 acres, and destroyed over 12,000 structures
Image credits: Mark Viniello
Kai Cranmore, who actually shot the footage, said the group was part-way through the six-and-a-half kilometer hike when they stopped at a rigid outlook dubbed Skull Rock to meditate, News.com.au reported on Tuesday.
They reportedly sat cross-legged with their shoes off, listening to music from a portable speaker, occasionally pausing to share what they were feeling.
“We were expressing what we were feeling,” Kai told Backpack magazine. “I would say, ‘I feel the gravity pulling me towards the earth’ or ‘I feel my breath.’ And my buddy Mike was like, ‘I smell smoke.’”
Image credits: RobSchneider
Taking on his X page (formerly known as Twitter) on January 8, a man named Beni Oren uploaded a video showing six friends
Image credits: BeniOren1
The men apparently witnessed the ignition of the destructive Palisades fire.
The wildfires devastating Los Angeles, which have claimed at least 24 lives, have also ignited a frenzy of conspiracy theories online.
Speculations have ranged from claims of high-speed rail land clearing and smart meter malfunctions to wild accusations involving celebrities like Sean “Diddy” Combs.
My friends and I got ambushed by the palisades fire soon after it started. We hiked up to skull rock and smelled smoke as we were hanging. We quickly had to run for our lives. #fire#cawx#palisadesfirepic.twitter.com/lmwz4n5AT4
— Beni Oren (@BeniOren1) January 8, 2025
The video was uploaded shortly after the blaze broke out in Pacific Palisades and amassed nearly 591,000 views
Image credits: BeniOren1
As Diddy is facing more than 100 allegations of sexual abuse, including multiple accusations of rape and even child abuse, some have made baseless claims that the fires may have been started to “cover up” his alleged crimes, The Daily Mail reported on Monday.
Moreover, the disgraced hip hop star’s Los Angeles home has been untouched by the Southern California wildfire.
The lavish house in Holmby Hills, a few miles east of Beverly Hills, reportedly sits close to the Palisades fire’s path but has not been damaged by the disaster.
Image credits: ONSCENE TV
Wild accusations involving celebrities like Sean “Diddy” Combs have also circulated
Image credits: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Catherine Austin Fitts, a former government official, has amplified the theory against Diddy by questioning how many individuals linked to the producer have managed to keep their homes safe from the destruction.
She consequently said on her podcast: “In situations like [the L.A. fires], I look at patterns.
Image credits: PrivateIncome
The fire began this month, fueled by dry conditions and strong winds common in the region during wildfire season
Image credits: ONSCENE TV
“I look at some of the communities involved. How many of the homeowners were on the P. Diddy list?”
The Diddy list is an unverified list of names of all celebrities accused of attending parties hosted by the rapper where he is alleged to be abused, according to The Mail.
The Palisades Fire is a large wildfire currently raging in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.
“That doesn’t make sense,” a reader commented
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