2 critical in Bnei Brak nursing home fire

Israel Fire and Rescue Services released initial findings from the scene: "Around 01:00, a fire broke out in one of the rooms on the first floor of the Mishkenot Vattikim nursing home on Amram Gaon Street in Bnei Brak. Firefighters evacuated residents from the facility, extinguished the flames and rescued those trapped in the burning room."

"Initial findings indicate, with high probability, that a patient receiving oxygen smoked in the room. Deputy Commander of the Dan District, Deputy Chief Ilan Russo, ordered the establishment of a special investigation team headed by the district's chief investigator to examine the circumstances of the incident. Twenty-one residents were rescued in the fire and evacuated for treatment at Sheba Medical Center: two in critical condition, three in moderate condition and the rest in light condition."

Israel Fire and Rescue Services emphasized that smoking near oxygen generators and in treatment rooms at medical facilities is strictly prohibited. Smoking in bed poses a life-threatening danger.

According to figures provided by United Hatzalah, medical teams treated thirty-nine people injured in the fire. Two of the injured are in critical and unstable condition, four are in moderate condition and the rest are in light condition. Some of the injured were evacuated in United Hatzalah ambulances to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer and Mayanei Hayeshua hospitals.

The two critically injured, men aged approximately 65 and 80, suffered burns and were evacuated to Sheba Medical Center sedated and ventilated. The remaining injured were evacuated to Sheba, Beilinson, Ichilov and Mayanei Hayeshua hospitals. Two staff members suffered smoke inhalation and burns, among other injuries.

Efi Feldman, head of United Hatzalah's Bnei Brak branch, said that initially a report was received about a fire in one of the rooms on the first floor, but upon arrival it became clear the scene was complex. "All in all, this is a difficult scene, about 40 injured, of them about 2 critical and 2 moderate, all the rest in various conditions, in the light range," he said.

Fire and Rescue Services reported that the fire broke out in one of the apartments on the first floor of the building. Officers from the Bnei Brak-Ramat Gan station arrived at the scene together with firefighters and medical and rescue teams, and began evacuating the elderly residents and searching the building.

It should be noted that ahead of Sukkos, Fire and Rescue Services warned of fire hazards from candles, electrical cables and lighting in sukkos. "These fires usually originate from mistakes we make, human actions," said Deputy Chief Tal Wolbowitz, Fire and Rescue spokesperson, in an interview published about a week ago.