Shock in Belz: Fatal accident on way back from wedding

Tragedy on the way back from wedding at Belz: At around 5:30 am there was a severe car accident on Route 1 near the Ein Chemed - Abu Gosh junction.

An initial investigation at the scene indicates that a private vehicle which came from Jerusalem collided with the back of a truck traveling on Highway 1 towards Tel Aviv, and overturned. It was a car that drove Belz Hasidim, who were returning to their homes from the great wedding simcha held until morning for the Rebbe's granddaughter in a giant tent in Jerusalem.

According to the report from the scene, a man in his 30s was killed and another four others wounded - one of them moderately and the rest lightly.

The driver - who was wounded himself - is a ZAKA volunteer, and he alerted the rescue forces using the Mirs device in his possession. The Zaka call center works in cooperation with Ichud Hatzalah, so that the alert of volunteers to the scene of the accident was immediate.

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Photo: Police Department of Media

MDA and Ichud Hatzalah arrived at the scene provided primary medical care to the wounded, and evacuated them to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem.

Hadassah Medical Center spokeswoman said that three casualties arrived at the trauma unit of Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem from the accident on the highway. Two adults - one of whom is in fair condition and one slightly injured and one child who is lightly injured. The wounded are still in checkups and treatments.

Thousands of Belz Hasidim are shocked and appalled at the serious accident and are praying after shachris for the recovery of the wounded.

The police reported that as a result of the accident the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is blocked to traffic. Drivers should use Route 443 to Tel Aviv.

Anshil Beck, a Belz Hasid and ZAKA volunteer, returned home after the wedding, and immediately after taking into bed he heard his friend reporting about the accident in the MIRS, and immediately left towards the scene.

In a conversation with Behadrey Haredim he sounded pained, "I know them well, I ran into them during the wedding. The victims were dressed in Yom Tov clothes, with white socks." Following the accident, Beck remained in place to treat the dead, his friend.

Avi Levenberg, Hatzalah paramedic said: "I and other paramedics from the motorbike unit were first on the scene, we came across the accident involving a truck and a capsized vehicle, and we provided care to the driver who suffered moderate to severe injury, and the child and another passenger who were lightly wounded. Unfortunately a passenger sitting next to the driver was pronounced dead on the spot, reports from the field indicate that the vehicle was on its way back from the wedding at Belz toward Beit Shemesh, the circumstances of the accident are examined by the police."

MDA paramedic Yoshi Amit who arrived on the scene, said: "We saw that this was a very serious accident, on the road was private car upside down on its roof, apparently after it collided with a truck, in the front of the vehicle was trapped man of about 31 unconscious with a very serious head injury.

"Outside the car there were three more wounded, one of them a man of about 30 in fair condition lying in the road when he was fully conscious and with a head injury, and 2 men in their twenties who walked with a light condition and suffered bruises. While rescuing the wounded man who was trapped, we tried to give him medical treatment and after extraction from the car we had to confirm his death.

"We gave three other wounded medical treatment and evacuated them to hospital when the condition of one is fair and the rest are lightly wounded. The truck driver of about 42 was tested by us on the scene and did not need to be evacuated."

Zaka Jerusalem Commander, Benzi Oiring, said in a conversation with Behadrey Haredim that this is a very serious accident, as reported by the driver himself.

"The vehicle driver is a Zaka volunteer from Beit Shemesh, and immediately after the occurrence of the accident reported in the group MIRS, and the Ichud Hatzalah center which is connected immediately sent drives, at this time the police signed the burial permit, and we are acting to ensure the honor of the deceased."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!