One of the first emergency responders to arrive at the scene of Sunday’s deadly balcony collapse in Yerushalayim has recounted the harrowing moments that unfolded, describing a critically injured victim trapped beneath the debris, workers rescued from inside the damaged building, and the heartbreaking arrival of the victim’s grandchildren.

Nachman Tuvul, a volunteer with United Hatzalah, told Kol Chai Radio’s Hamahadura Hamerkazis that when rescue teams first received the call, they had no idea what had actually happened.

“At first we thought it was some kind of construction accident,” Tuvul said. “But when we arrived, we found a shop—a restaurant or café—with several diners inside. Above it was the balcony of a residential apartment, and it had simply collapsed onto the roof of the business.”

According to Tuvul, the balcony crashed through a lightweight roof that offered virtually no protection from the impact.

“The roof was made of sheet metal and an acoustic ceiling, nothing that could absorb the force of the collapsing balcony,” he said.

One of the people trapped beneath the wreckage was later pronounced dead.

“When we arrived, he was still trapped and in critical condition,” Tuvul recalled.

As rescue efforts continued, responders learned that additional people remained trapped inside the shop.

“The wife of the elderly man told us there were still other people inside,” Tuvul said.

United Hatzalah volunteers entered the building through a rear window, where they located a male cashier and a female cashier. Although neither had suffered physical injuries, both were unable to escape because of the collapse.

“We instructed them to stay close to the back wall of the store in case, chas v’shalom, the structure continued collapsing,” he said. “They remained there until the fire department was able to rescue them.”

Before the workers were freed, several customers managed to climb out of the debris on their own, suffering only minor injuries. Firefighters, meanwhile, continued operating cautiously because sections of the damaged roof remained suspended overhead and posed a risk of further collapse.

By the end of the incident, four people with minor injuries had been transported for medical treatment, while another four individuals were treated for emotional trauma.

Tuvul said one of the most painful moments came when the victim’s grandchildren arrived at the scene.

“They saw him trapped beneath the rubble, without signs of life.”

United Hatzalah’s trauma response teams immediately provided emotional support to the grieving family members, as well as to the two cashiers who had endured a lengthy and terrifying ordeal before being rescued.

Reflecting on the operation, Tuvul said all of the trapped victims were ultimately located and evacuated.

“Baruch Hashem, we can report that, as far as evacuating the victims, treating the injured, and completing the rescue operation, the incident has come to an end.”

Despite the successful rescue effort, the collapse claimed the life of one elderly man and left four others injured, bringing a tragic conclusion to an incident that rescuers say will remain with them for a long time.

{Matzav.com}