Shneller demarcated area: 30 tons of Gniza went up in flames

On Sunday afternoon – close to 12:50pm – a call was received in the fire fighting center about a large amount of smoke which is rising in the area of what was previously Mahane Shneller. A number of teams which arrived, reported on sacks of papers which are going up in flames, and additional teams were alarmed to the place.
These were sacks of papers which were placed close to the geological institute. The fire fighters demarcated the fire and prevented it from spreading, no additional danger was foreseen by the fire, but thick smoke rose from it.
Two tractors of the Jerusalem municipality arrived and helped with extinguishing the fire.

Lieutenant Asaf Abers, spokesman of the fire department and rescue in Jerusalem said in a talk to Behadrey Haredim that control has been achieved over the fire, but to his estimation the complete extinguishing will take another two and a half hours, until 16:30pm.

From a first enquiry it seems that about 300 sacks of papers are found there and are destined for Gniza, the bags were stored temporarily in a place which the municipality allocated for them, until they are brought to burial.

Hezi Roth, paramedic of Ichud Hatzala who arrived first on the scene, relates: "Citizens reported smoke which was rising from the Shneller area, I came out of my shop which is in proximity to the event, and saw that close to 20 tons of Gniza were going up in flames. This is an area which the Jerusalem municipality allocated for storing the Gniza until it's brought to burial. With the help of Heaven there were no casualties. Trees which were close to the Gniza bags went up in flames too, large fire fighting forces worked on the scene."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!