Jerusalem: Hundreds Evacuated As Flames Engulf Parking Lot Under Buildings In Sorotzkin Street

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Tens of people were evacuated from their buildings in Sorotzkin street in northern Jerusalem after a fire broke out during the night in a parking lot beneath the buildings. 12 fire crews worked in tandem to extinguish the fire and to evacuate people trapped in apartments situated above the burning car park. The fire burnt a number of cars as well as storage rooms situated near the car park.

United Hatzala volunteers treated 30 people injured by the fire, most in light condition.

Nachum Eisenbach, a volunteer who was one of the first to arrive on the scene said that “when I arrived the fire had begun spreading towards a building with tens of families waited to be evacuated by fire crews due to the fire in the carpark which prevented them from leaving the building. After they were evacuated we treated some people suffering from smoke inhalation.”

Chanoch Rom, another volunteer said that “due to the nature of the fire we knocked on doors and told people to leave the building immediately due to the danger to their lives. In a number of cases we treated people who had been hurt while jumping from the building in an attempt to escape the fire and others suffering from breathing problems due to smoke inhalation.”

One 30-year-old man was in moderate condition after jumping from his balcony due to the heavy smoke.

Firefighter Eli Edri said that “from 4 in the morning we dealt with a complex situation of a large fire which broke out in a complex of six buildings in Sorotzkin street. A large number of residents with babies, small children and adults were trapped in their apartments by the fire and heavy smoke around the buildings. As a result of the strong flames, a large number of cars were burnt. Storerooms and some apartments were damaged but our main effort was to evacuate all of the trapped people and prevent the fire reaching the main building. Firemen exhibited great courage, went into the flames and heavy smoke and evacuated the families while extinguishing the fire.”

תיעוד מהשריפה הגדולה שפרצה בקומות התחתונות של קומפלקס בניינים ברחוב סורוצקין בשכונת רוממה בירושלים.מפקד כבאות והצלה,מחוז ירושלים טפסר ניסים טויטו היה במקום ופיקח על פעולות הכיבוי והחילוץ באירוע."אנחנו פועלים באירוע מורכב של שריפה גדולה מאוד שפרצה"
אודי גל-דובר כב"ה מחוז י-ם pic.twitter.com/WVmjRHSpCG

— שרון אביגיל ונטורה (@4z9MOrTpKgsAntB) November 24, 2020

A clip showing the fire spreading in the carpark

Buildings damaged by fire