A fire broke out at a nine story residential home on Shachal Street, the main throughfare in the Givat Mordechai neighborhood of Jerusalem, a predominantly religious area. At this point, the source of the fire is unknown.
While six teams of firefighters toiled to put out the fire, Magen David Adom and Ichud Hatzala paramedics called to the scene evacuated the victims, who suffered from smoke inhalation, to the nearby Shaare Tzedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals.
The fire was shortly put out and the building was ventilated.
David Crispal, director of operations for Ichud Hatzala, said about the scene: “When we arrived, we encountered the fire fighters who were working to rescue trapped residents. Miraculously, they all were rescued in light condition. We provided care for victims including children who suffered from smoke inhalation. There is no doubt that the fast arrival of all fire and rescue emergency forces prevented a major disaster due to the nature of the event.”