"We are in the midst of preparations for Sukkot, and many people are busy building their sukkot and gathering schach," said incident commander Reshef Miki Ben Chuta after the rescue was complete. "Today's incident ended miraculously without casualties, but it could have ended in serious tragedy."
"I appeal to the public and ask: please exercise personal responsibility and avoid unnecessary risks," Ben Chuta added. "Do not climb tall trees, do not approach electrical wires, and do not gather schach in places that are not organized and safe. Sanctify the holiday, but protect your lives and the lives of your loved ones. In case of emergency or life-threatening danger, call 102 immediately and firefighters will reach you."
The incident joins a series of injuries related to sukkah construction in recent days. On Wednesday, a 21-year-old man in Bnei Brak was electrocuted by an exposed electrical cable while building a sukkah on 600 Street. He was evacuated to the hospital in stable condition.
Also on Wednesday, a 60-year-old man in Bnei Brak sustained light to moderate injuries after falling from a chair while building a sukkah on Rabbi Ganichovsky Street. The victim suffered limb trauma from the fall and was taken in stable condition to Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital.
On Tuesday, a one-year-old girl in Bnei Brak was moderately injured when a wooden plank fell on her from a height of approximately 2.5 meters while her family was building their sukkah. The infant was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikva.
The Land Enforcement Authority launched proactive operations across the country this week to prevent the construction of illegal balconies, structures, and building additions ahead of Sukkot. The authority emphasized that "erecting building additions without a permit before Sukkot is not only a violation of the law, it can endanger human life."
