Firefighters from the Judea region worked this evening (Tuesday) on a fire that broke out in a building on Rabbi Motzfi Street in the Haredi city of Beitar Illit.
The crews who arrived at the scene identified a smoke-filled stairwell, and numerous residents screaming for help on the upper floors of the building.
The forces immediately began operations to extinguish the fire, remove smoke, and search the building, from which the teams rescued 35 trapped people, including families with small children.
Rabbi Reshef Kobi Erez, shift commander: "This is a fire that started in the stairwell and the smoke spread to the apartments on the upper floors. Upon our arrival at the scene, we acted quickly to extinguish the fire and rescue the trapped people, seven of whom were evacuated for medical treatment.".
""This incident illustrates to us the need to install smoke detectors in every home. The smoke detector warns of the outbreak of a fire and allows us to escape and rescue our loved ones.""
Hadassah Medical Center reported: 7 victims of smoke inhalation from a fire in Beitar Illit were evacuated to the emergency rooms for children and adults at Hadassah Ein Kerem. Among the victims were 5 children, the youngest of whom is 4 years old, a 19-year-old and another adult.
All seven are in mild condition and fully conscious.
The police said: In the evening, a report was received of a fire in a residential building in the city of Beitar Illit, and police officers from the Etzion station in the Judea region were called to the scene. During the professional treatment of the flames and heavy smoke by the firefighters from the Fire and Rescue Department, while guiding the residents in life-saving actions, the police officers assisted in regulating traffic and keeping curious onlookers away.
As a result of the fire, more than 20 residents of the property required medical treatment, and 7 of them were evacuated in mild condition.
Fire investigators from the Israel Fire and Rescue Service have begun examining the scene of the fire, and it appears at this stage that it was arson, and because of this, police investigators from the Etzion station have begun collecting findings and taking steps to locate a suspect in the act.
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