Disaster in Jerusalem: one killed in the collapse of a balcony on a business

An 80-year-old man was killed this afternoon (Monday) after a balcony collapsed on a branch of Angel Bakery on Keren Kemayet Israel Street in Jerusalem. Fire and rescue forces, medical teams and police were called to the scene and worked to rescue the victims from the ruins. The ZAKA teams on the scene are taking care of the dignity of the dead. In addition, three other people were slightly injured, and scans are continuing at the scene following reports of more people trapped. Some of the injured are now being transferred to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital.

MDA medics Eli Eisenbach, Daniel Alykim and Meir Gershoni said: “We received a report about a balcony that collapsed on a business. We arrived at the scene with large forces and noticed a number of frightened wounded who came out to us, and a man trapped among all the ruins in critical condition. During the firemen’s rescue operations, we began to provide medical treatment to an 80-year-old woman and two young men, aged 16 and 17, in a minor condition with abrasions on their bodies, who were evacuated to the hospital.”

Ihud Hatzla teams said that according to the information gathered at the scene, the glass ceiling of the business collapsed suddenly while customers were there and were trapped under it. The fire crews continued with the rescue operations, while the teams of the Hussan unit of the Rescue Union provided psychological assistance to the victims and their families.

The circumstances of the balcony collapse are being investigated by the police.