The ZAKA rescue organization says at least 40 people died in the fire on the Carmel Mountain Thursday.
At least ten people - passengers on an overturned bus after it was caught in the fire, and possibly some of their rescuers - were killed after the fire broke out this morning in an illegal garbage dump in the Carmel Mountains. Forty other passengers were initially reported to be injured.
It is feared that another ten people are dead in other places affected by the fire.
Ongoing rescue and fire-fighting efforts are said to be nearly impossible given the physical conditions of the mountains, smoke, dry conditions and lack of accessibility. With darkness approaching, fears are great that the fire will rage out of control for many hours.
One witness said that two light planes were sent to the area to help out in the fire-fighting efforts, and "they simply disappeared."
The trapped bus is said to have departed from the Damon Prison, apparently as part of the attempt to evacuate the prison in the face of the fast-spreading fire. The residents of nearby Kibbutz Beit Oren and the Druze village of Usefiya were also evacuated, as were the students of Haifa University, which is somewhat further away. Several homes in Usefiya have been burnt to the ground
by Hillel Fendel and Gil Ronen
5 comments:
More are trapped on Givat Volfson. If there is cell phone receptivity is a big question since the major collapse of the Cellcom system yesterday. Right now the winds are changing directions making it difficult for the rescue teams to get to the area of those that are trapped.
http://www.hnn.co.il - the Rescue Squad site will give frequent updates.
I just hung up the phone w my friend n israel who told me tht Unnatural Fires are burning out of control n northern Israel. 40 people hve died, 20 more fighting fr their lives, tons evacuated out of their homes. People are running away n yet the fires are soo rampant tht they are rachmanus.. Being burned alive. All public parties are been cancelled n instead the whole country is n mourning . The Rabbonim are urging everyone to STOP all fires of machlokes n to make shalom between Adam l'chavero! The fires of AnGER must be quenched!! Tehillim n tefilah are the tools being used to try n stop these totally out of control fires. Other countries are being asked fr help. It's a terrible Tzara fr israel and all Jews around the world!!
Tonite, as you light the fires of Yr menorahs, take a few minutes to imagine the horrors of this uncontrollable fire n Eretz yisroel n say some Kapitals Tehillim.
The people are being burned alive... Kibbutzim n Moshavim have burnt to the ground... Hashems Wrath is showing. Do Yr best to take the FIRE out of Yr hearts n bring light n shalom into Yr world!!
May Hashem hve rachamim n stop this fire n the zchus of our combined tefilos!!
i wish hashem make a hanukka miracle.
it's so sad,it's unbelievable what's happening here,the only comfort we have is to see how the ppl of israel open their hearts and help each other,
we r all a big united family.
please hashem,please help your sons!!!
you know,what makes it more tragedy-is the fact that those 40 heroes were on their way to help other ppl .
my heart is with their families and with all the ppl of israel.
Hashem takes the good people, as an atonement for the rest of us.
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