A major fire tore through a nursing facility in Bnei Brak shortly after midnight, forcing the evacuation of approximately 40 elderly residents and leaving dozens injured, including two men who were hospitalized in serious and unstable condition with significant burns.

The blaze broke out in a first-floor room at the Mishkenot Vatikim Nursing Center on Rav Amram Gaon Street, an eight-story facility housing elderly and nursing-care residents.

Firefighters from Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan rushed to the scene and began battling the flames while conducting extensive searches throughout the building for residents who may have been trapped.

Several residents were located inside the burning area itself and were carried to safety by firefighters.

In all, 24 people were transported to hospitals. Two men, ages 65 and approximately 80, suffered second-degree burns and were listed in serious and unstable condition. They were sedated and placed on ventilators before being evacuated to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.

Four additional residents were hospitalized in moderate condition, while 18 others were listed in light condition, most of them suffering from smoke inhalation.

The wounded were distributed among Sheba Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Ichilov Hospital and Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center.

Magen David Adom received the initial report shortly after midnight, prompting a large-scale emergency response that included ambulances, intensive-care units and rapid-response vehicles.

MDA paramedics Yissachar Weiss and Tal Sagi described the scene as extremely difficult, with large numbers of emergency personnel treating residents as they were brought out of the building.

“This was a very difficult scene. We arrived with large forces that included rapid-response vehicles, ambulances and MDA intensive-care units. We provided medical treatment to a large number of injured people, including two men in serious and unstable condition who were sedated and ventilated and had burns to their upper bodies, four people in moderate condition and 18 in light condition, and we evacuated them to hospitals.”

Hatzalah volunteers Chizki Bloch and Shlomo Wolf said they encountered an active fire upon arriving and immediately began assisting residents caught near the burning room, including providing respiratory support to those affected by smoke.

United Hatzalah volunteers Akiva Kaufman, Meilech Honig and Daniel Yefune said the rescue operation was particularly difficult because many of the residents were unable to leave the building without assistance due to their age and physical condition.

“This was a fire in a nursing home housing dozens of elderly nursing-care residents. We assisted in evacuating residents who had difficulty escaping on their own because of their age and physical condition, and we provided initial treatment to victims suffering from smoke inhalation and burns of varying severity. Large firefighting forces operated at the scene to rescue those trapped and bring the fire under control.”

United Hatzalah ambulance drivers Elchanan Marciano, Yosef Baruchim, Adiel Pinchas, Yosef Chaim Tubul and Yehuda Vidavsky positioned stretchers near the building and received residents as they were brought out by firefighters.

“We spread out with stretchers near the scene and received the residents who were evacuated from the burning building. We provided them with initial treatment and transported some of them to hospitals for further care, with their conditions listed as light.”

Efi Feldman, head of United Hatzalah’s Bnei Brak branch, said dozens of volunteers left their homes during Yom Tov and in the middle of the night to assist with the emergency.

“As the largest medical organization in the city, with dozens of volunteers spread throughout Bnei Brak who know the area well, we were dispatched with reinforced forces as soon as the report was received. The nursing home’s location in a densely populated residential area and the concern that many people could be trapped required a rapid and extensive response. Dozens of volunteers left their homes during the holiday and in the middle of the night to assist with the rescue, treatment and evacuation. I thank all the volunteers and ambulance crews who left their families and mobilized to save lives.”

After firefighters brought the main blaze under control, crews continued searching the building to ensure that no additional residents remained trapped.

A fire investigator was called to the scene to determine what caused the blaze.

{Matzav.com}