This is how the Jerusalem Municipality is treating the 88 families whose homes went up in flames

November 25, 2020   

Early in the morning, 88 families, residents of Matersdorf Street, woke up in terror as a cloud of murky smoke filled the houses and disrupted the sleepy night atmosphere. The enormous damage was quickly discovered: the parking lot that connects all the buildings was engulfed in flames, many apartments were damaged, the walls were filled with soot, and there were fears that dozens were trapped on the lower floors. The firefighters who arrived at the scene forbade the residents from leaving the apartments and, through a heroic effort, managed to extinguish the flames without any casualties. While the fire was still raging in the building's parking lots, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon arrived on the scene, accompanied by the city's CEO and the managers of the relevant departments, and began to care for the residents who had been evacuated from the building due to concerns about safety issues. Under the mayor's direction, the residents received food and initial assistance for the hardships they faced, while at the same time, city teams worked in a wide variety of areas to assist the residents. No fewer than 22 electricians were rushed to the scene from noon, in order to allow as many residents as possible to return to their homes this evening. According to the assessment of the professionals, there are still about twenty families who will not be able to return to their homes in the coming days, and under the guidance of the mayor, they will be housed in hotels until their homes are renovated and reused. The mayor also ordered immediate action to address the environmental hazards at the scene. Climbers will arrive tomorrow, hanging on ropes, to fill the walls with sand and repaint them, in order to restore a sympathetic appearance to the street. The electric company responded to the mayor's request and will, as stated, make connections to the houses tonight in order to allow people to return to their homes. Also, during the day, residents received hot meals and additional help that will allow children to go out and study despite the existing difficulties. Mayor Moshe Leon: "I feel the pain of the families who were left homeless. The municipality under my leadership will do everything to give the families all the tools to return to their normal lives quickly. I am in constant contact with the families and try to provide a response to any distress that arises from the field." [Gallery]