No smoke without fire: woman lights Israel petrol pump

A cigarette-begging woman at an Israeli petrol station was so inflamed by a man's refusal that she ignited the fuel at his petrol pump, police said today.

Police released a link to video of yesterday's incident in Jerusalem, showing the woman flick a lighter at the fumes from the petrol hose as it sat in the car's tank, and then run off as a sheet of flame erupted.

The motorist is seen yanking the hose from the tank, and police said forecourt staff were able to extinguish the flames before anyone was hurt.

They said a suspect was arrested shortly after the incident but denied the charge.