The Media Line: Girls’ Seminary Fire in Jerusalem Leaves 39 Injured, Investigation Underway

Girls’ Seminary Fire in Jerusalem Leaves 39 Injured, Investigation Underway

A fire erupted in a girls’ seminary dormitory on David Yellin Street in Jerusalem on Monday, injuring 39 people. According to first responders, the blaze, believed to be caused by an electrical short-circuit, required the assistance of 12 firefighting teams that rescued dozens of trapped students.

Jerusalem, one of the oldest cities in the world, is densely built, which can complicate emergency efforts when large-scale fires occur. Over the past several years, city officials have tightened safety regulations for communal housing, but incidents still happen in older structures where wiring or heating systems may be outdated.

“This is a significant and major incident with many casualties,” said Shmulik Friedman, head of the Jerusalem District of the Israel Fire and Rescue Authorities. “We have launched an investigation in cooperation with the Israel Police to determine the circumstances of the fire’s outbreak.”

Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic Eliahu Ben Hamu recalled arriving to see “heavy smoke coming from the building,” explaining, “All the victims were fully conscious. We saw three individuals in serious condition and two in moderate condition, all fully conscious and suffering from smoke inhalation.” He added, “We began providing initial medical treatment while loading them into Magen David Adom (MDA) intensive care units and ambulances and transporting them to various hospitals in the city.”

United Hatzalah paramedics Ariel Drey and Zevi Klein confirmed, “The fire broke out in a residential building that partly serves as a girls’ seminary. We provided initial medical assistance to numerous casualties, including three men who ran into the building to rescue victims and 14 girls who were evacuated by United Hatzalah ambulances.”