This evening (Sunday), around 8:00 PM, a fire broke out on the first floor of a 7-story building on Nahar Jordan Street in the city of Beit Shemesh.
Five teams of fire and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene to extinguish the fire and rescue trapped people.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
Some of the trapped people were rescued using a crane that was also brought in to assist in the rescue operations.
The fire was brought under control shortly after 8:30 PM. No injuries were reported, but heavy property damage was caused.
Firefighters ensured that there were no trapped or injured people at the scene and that the house was ventilated from smoke and toxic gases.
Lieutenant Colonel Reuven Yitzhak, commander of the Beit Shemesh station who directed the firefighting operations: "The fire apparently broke out in the children's room and spread from there throughout the apartment. The family members rescued themselves through the apartment window.
""When we arrived, we identified dozens of residents trapped on the six floors above the fire. We rescued some of them using a crane, many others remained in their homes on our instructions until the fire was finally extinguished to prevent injury from smoke inhalation while trying to escape. Very heavy damage was caused to the apartment. We are investigating the circumstances of the incident.".
Avraham Sherer, a 'rescue team' volunteer who arrived at the scene: "Parents and children were standing at the windows of houses and on balconies, screaming for help, surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke. I reported to the MDA hotline that there were people trapped there and requested additional assistance.".
Shalom Strongold and Yehuda Zichman, volunteers of the 'Rescue Team': "We assisted in the rescue of many trapped people who could not get out into the stairwell, due to the thick smoke. The rescue was initially carried out using ladders from the balconies of the houses. We set up a gathering point for all the children, some of whom were in their nightgowns in the ambulance of the 'Ezrat Achim' organization - where we made a register of the children who were found, and all the parents were directed to this point, where they received sweets and drinks.
""Fortunately, the incident ended without any casualties, except for six who suffered minor breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation, who were examined on site by an MDA paramedic and did not require evacuation to a hospital.".
United Hatzalah reported that teams provided assistance to several people with minor injuries from smoke inhalation, after they were rescued by fire crews.
Additionally, the resilience teams of the United Hatzalah Mental First Aid Unit provided assistance to several family members who were rescued from their home unharmed, but suffered from anxiety.
All of the victims who were treated at the scene with oxygen assistance refused to be taken to a hospital.
Do you also want to join the tens of millions of people who have been freed from the prison of smoke? Click here >>>>>>
Photos: Hatzala Team and United Hatzala
[gallery]
