Jerusalem: fire destroyed apartment building in Beit Yisrael

Tonight (Thursday), after midnight, a fire broke out in an apartment on Yosef Karo street in Beit Israel, Jerusalem. Five firefighters were fighting to gain control, but it was achieved only after about an hour.

Yossi Refaeli, Ichud Hatzala paramedic and commander of the city center team, told Behadrey Haredim that the fire started on the ground floor in a building with four floors, and in the spread of fire six gas cylinders exploded which resulted in a strong blast.

"This is a really big miracle," said Refaeli "the building is populated with families with children, all B"H were rescued unharmed, except for two victims who inhaled smoke and were lightly injured.

"Now, the families have to start collecting money for the roof they had, and is gone.

"Meanwhile, along with other volunteers and local residents - we fixed them places to sleep tonight with families in the neighborhood, and I hope tomorrow there will be someone to look after them."

Deputy PA, Assaf Abers, spokesman for the Fire and Rescue of Jerusalem, said that, "Tonight we received calls about the fire. Six firefighters and a heights crane arrived at the scene and began operations, trying to control the flames which rose to thirty feet, while the fire spread to an adjacent apartment which was heavily damaged. The three storey building was evacuated.

"The fire fighters performed additional scans in nearby buildings for fear of smoke which penetrated them. The environmental protection and emergency and security unit of the Jerusalem Municipality were called, and evacuated the gas tanks which began leaking.

"Summing up the event, two slightly injured by smoke inhalation were evacuated from the scene and two firefighters who were injured by heat radiation due to the flooding of the fire on the scene. A fire investigator will continue treatment this morning as to the cause of the outbreak of fire."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!