A fire at a central Jerusalem girls' seminary dormitory Monday morning resulted in 48 injuries and a large-scale emergency response, with three people in serious condition. The blaze, triggered by a malfunctioning electrical device, broke out in the building where renovation work was ongoing.
Despite construction, the two lower floors actively housed 45 female students. The first paramedic to arrive reported that all students were conscious when emergency services reached the scene, and evacuation procedures began immediately with assistance from passersby, several of whom were injured during the rescue effort.
The casualties were distributed across Jerusalem hospitals. Hadassah Medical Center received 35 patients, with 15 students sent to Mount Scopus and 20 to Ein Kerem, including two in serious condition from smoke inhalation. Shaare Zedek Medical Center treated 16 casualties – 12 students and four men – all with smoke inhalation symptoms.
Among the seriously injured were a 30-year-old man and two women from the dormitory, ages 18 and 20. Two additional men, ages 32 and 18, suffered moderate injuries, while 34 others sustained minor injuries.
In a separate incident the same morning, a fire broke out at an auto repair shop in the Beit Hanina neighborhood in east Jerusalem, involving burning tires and four vehicles. Twelve firefighting teams responded, rescuing one person who fled to the roof. The incident commander at the scene reported that emergency teams effectively managed three distinct fire zones involving the tire shop, construction store, and vehicles, noting that the professional response prevented potentially more severe damage.
Both incidents are under investigation by Fire and Rescue Service investigators and Israel Police.
