Boy 'ran into path of car and was killed after being startled by fireworks'

A young boy may have been “startled by fireworks” before he ran into the path of a car yards from his home, a coroner ruled.

Elchonon Kohn, eight, had gone out on to his street to watch Diwali fireworks at a neighbour’s house in Clapton, east London.

He had been seen by a friend running into the road from between two parked cars when he was struck by a black Seat.

The schoolboy, the son of a Rabbi who would have celebrated his ninth birthday yesterday (Thurs), was treated at the scene by ambulance crews and then taken to the Royal London Hospital.

He died four days later on November 15 last year.

The driver Salomon Weil, who lived on the same road, would have had less than a second to react to Elchonon stepping into the road, the inquest at Poplar Coroners’ Court heard.

Senior coroner Mary Hassell concluded Elchonon died as a result of a road traffic collision.

In her conclusion, Ms Hassell said: “I’m not blaming Elchonon for this, at the end of all of this he is a little boy and children do run into the road.

“He may have been trying to go home or he may have been startled by the fireworks.

“Elchonon was only visible to Mr Weil for less than a quarter of a second.

“He was there in the road for a quarter of a second and any driver would have been unable to react in that time.