ALL UPDATES, VIDEO & PHOTOS BELOW:
9:40AM EST: As YWN reported earlier, a massive wildfire is currently raging in Northern Israel. Villages have been evacuated as well as a prison. Although details are still sketchy, a bus evacuating people from the area has caught fire while escaping the blaze, and then overturned. As of this point, there are eleven people reported killed, and scores of others injured. Some sources report that the bus is full of prisoners who were being evacuated from the Damon prison.
An large response of MDA Paramedics, Ichud Hatzolah, and Police are on the scene. Additionally, the Israeli Air Fore has launched multiple choppers from the elite 669 unite to the scene to evacuate the wounded.
UPDATE 9:45AM EST: The IAF 669 is airlifting at least 10 people in critical condition to medical facilities around the country.
UPDATE 10:02AM EST: Multiple reports of as many as 40 people killed in the blaze.
UPDATE 10:03AM EST: There may be two incidents resulting in the number of fatalities. A bus incident evacuating people, and a prison may have been consumed by the fire. This remains to be confirmed as there is many conflicting reports coming to YWN Israel from the scene.
UPDATE 10:41AM EST: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is en route to Northern Israel to personally inspect the damage.
UPDATE 10:43AM EST: The total (unconfirmed) number of people killed has been placed at 51.
UPDATE 10:50AM EST: Heavy response was dispatched to Givat Wolfson moments ago for reports of 20 people trapped from a fire. This is approximately 2 kilometers from Beit Oren where the main fire originated. FD reports that the people have successfully been evacuated.
UPDATE 10:52AM EST: A senior police official from Haifa – possibly the Chief of Police – has been killed in the fire.
UPDATE 11:06AM EST: The IDF has dispatched “D9 Bulldozers” to Northern Israel to assist firefighters in the huge fire in the forests of Mount Caramel.
UPDATE 11:10AM EST: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the search and rescue teams that were working on the Carmel fire that broke out on Thursday morning near the Druze village of Usfiya. The prime minister highlighted that the main aim is save lives and protect the lives of those that are involved in the rescue efforts.
UPDATE 11:20AM EST: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the Carmel area fire was a “catastrophe the likes of which we have never known. We will have to draw many lessons in order to deal with catastrophes of this kind but right now, everything must be about saving lives.”
UPDATE 11:22AM EST: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the leaders of Russia, Italy, Greece and Cyprus and appealed to them for assistance in extinguishing the Carmel fire which broke out on Thursday. Netanyahu asked the countries’ to send fire extinguishing planes into the area in order to help Israel contain the fire.
UPDATE 11:29AM EST: 22 bodies have been identified on the bus. Reports state that many are wardens from the prison who were being evacuated.
UPDATE 11:32AM EST: ZAKA reports that they have dispatched 250 volunteers to the scene.
UPDATE 11:34AM EST: Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman is en route to Northern Israel.
UPDATE 12:07PM EST: Minister Eli Yishai has just boarded a chopper, and flying to the scene.
UPDATE 12:09PM EST: Under changing circumstances in the Carmel fire, emergency services have decided to evacuate the following communities: Nir Etzion, Ein Hod and Ein Hod.
UPDATE 12:10PM EST: Fire officials state that this fire may take days to bring under control.
UPDATE 12:14PM EST: Sources report that the village of Beit Oran has been totally destroyed.
UPDATE 12:19PM EST: The country of Greece tells Israel that they have dispatched fire-fighting aircraft to Northern Israel.
UPDATE 12:35PM EST: The country of Cyprus has just dispatched fire-fighting aircraft to Northern Israel.
UPDATE 12:48PM EST: Israel asks the U.S. for assistance. Additionally, the Foreign Ministry has turned to Bulgaria, Croatia< Spain, France, Romania and others to please send planes which can dump chemicles on the fires.
UPDATE 12:49PM EST: At 20:00PM IL, the Prime Minister will hold a press conference, and update the country on the situation.
UPDATE 12:50PM EST: Hundreds of IDF Soldiers have been deployed to the area to assist emergency personnel.
UPDATE 12:52PM EST: As many as 70 people may have been killed, reports state.
UPDATE 1:00PM EST: It’s been confirmed that the bus which was engulfed in flames was carrying prison guards which were driving to the prison to evacuate the prisoners.
UPDATE 1:02PM EST: President Shimon Peres said that “we are praying for the fire to stop.” Peres said that “as we celebrate the Yom Tov of Chanukah we are praying for a miracle.”
UPDATE 1:04PM EST: Reports of 3 high-ranking emergency personel missing at the scene.
UPDATE 1:05PM EST: The University of Haifa is taking appropiate measures to protect their campus should the fire continue its destructive path.
UPDATE 1:26PM EST: Due to the fire in Northern Israel, the Roshei Yeshiva of Ponavez have instructed the entire Yeshiva to gather in the Bais medrash and recite Tehillim.
UPDATE 2:03PM EST: A firefighter spokesman said the blaze had traveled 1500 meters in less than three minutes, adding, “the bus had no chance. They tried to escape but were burned alive. It was a horrific scene.” The spokesman added that the fire was very far from the road on which the bus was travelling when it first set off towards the prison, but had spread far faster than expected.
UPDATE 2:13PM EST: Deputy Health Minister MK Ya’acov Litzman drove to Rambam and other hospitals to ensure that they were able to handle the injured but was told that while they waited to receive injured in the emergency room, “all that arrived were bodies.”
UPDATE 2:15PM EST: Police are talking to witnesses who state that this fire was intentionally started by someone. Additionally, this fire started in as many as four places.
UPDATE 2:17PM EST: The IDF Home Front Command has established a command post near the scene of the blaze and was coordinating relief efforts together with the Northern Police District.
UPDATE 2:57PM EST: Hagon Chacham Ovadia Yosef Shlita reacted with tears upon hearing of the tragedy, and called on Am Yisroel to join him in davening that the fire be brought under control, and for the memory of the Niftarim.
UPDATE 3:15PM EST: Turkey is sending 2 fire-fighting aircraft to Israel.
UPDATE 3:24PM EST: Netenyahu is at the Command Post along with the Chief’s of the IDF, Police, FD, MDA, ZAKA, MK’s and Ministers.
UPDATE 3:29PM EST: At 11:30PM tonight there will be a Yom Tefillah at the Kosel lead by Chachm Ovadia Yosef and Rav Shlomo Amar Shlita.
UPDATE 3:59PM EST: The fire started at 11:30AM on Thursday morning, and has already consumed more than 10,000 dunams of land.
UPDATE 4:36PM EST: A total of 53 bodies have so far been recovered.
UPDATE 4:54PM EST: Egypt has announced it will also be sending fire extinguishing places to Israel following the Carmel fire disaster. Planes from foreign countries will start arriving in Israel in the early morning hours on Friday.
UPDATE 5:00PM EST: It has been estimated that more than 10,000 people have been evacuated from their homes.
UPDATE 5:13PM EST: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday “I will declare this a day of mourning,” in response to the fire that was spreading in the Carmel forest area, that left 40 prison wardens dead and dozens injured. Netanyahu pleaded with the public to stay away from the area of the fire, which was spreading in the Carmel area and to listen for emergency instructions.
UPDATE 6:21PM EST: Police Insp.-Gen. David Cohen was overseeing rescue operations in the Carmel region overnight Friday. Cohen completed an evaluation meeting and issued instructions to emergency officials for the remainder of the Thursday night and into Friday. The instructions included filming the area from above with IDF assistance throughout the night, and launching an information center for members of the public together with the Haifa municipality.
UPDATE 7:00PM EST: Police have decided to evacuate residents in a number of streets in Haifa’s Denia neighborhood as the massive Carmel fire threatens to spread further.
UPDATE 9:05PM EST: Eizer Mitzion is asking people to donate blood in Bnei Brak should the Chas Veshalom need it.
UPDATE 9:09PM EST: There will be a Yom Tefillah at the Kosel tomorrow (Friday) for children due to the fire.
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33 Responses
Where is this happening? near what city? what caused the blaze?
Can’t a day go by without a tragedy?!
Please Daven!
I hope the prisoners that were injured/killed were terrorrists at least!!
Rachmana Litzlon.
Do we know what triggered the fire? Was it rockets from Lebanon? Or perhaps some other form of terrorism?
wow thats Ironic on chanukah no less, the greeks the first to help, well god bless’m
HaSh-m ya’azor – This does not bode well for preparedness for the next hezbola/lebanon conflict.
fire is still going. they are evacuating near neighborhoods and moshavim.
UPDATE 1:02PM EST: President Shimon Peres said that “we are praying for the fire to stop.” Peres said that “as we celebrate the Yom Tov of Chanukah we are praying for a miracle.”
It’s a miracle already if Peres is praying!
“Minister Eli Yishai has just boarded a chopper, and flying to the scene” theres a coplete miss apropreating of resuorses for politacal gain what help is he going to be o sene?
#9, it shows that we should never give up on ANY JEW.. as there is always a chance for them to come home to yiddiskeit!
No atheists in the fox hole.
To #10:
Ministry of Interior (Israel):
Responsibility fields
Providing citizenship and permanent resident status.
Issuing of entry visas and staying visas in the country.
Inhabitants administration: personal registrations.
Issuing of [identity card].
Personal registrations such as birth, marriage etc.
Licensing the ownership of firearms.
Local government, city councils and local councils supervision.
Elections.
Fire fighting and rescue services and emergency services.
Associations.
Planning and building supervising.
Staff wings
The Administration for Local Government and Administration
Administration for Budgeting and Developing in the Local Authorities.
Wing for Inspection in the Local Authorities.
Administration of Planning.
Administration of Population.
Administration for Emergency Services and Special Tasks.
Commissionership of Fire-Fighting and Rescuing.
National Elections’ Supervisor.
National Unit for Building Supervising.
Administration of Water.
ELi Yishai has more than one reason why he MUST be in Northern Israel.
“Yeshiva of Ponavez”
Do you mean Ponavich Yeshiva in Bnei Brak…?
10. juda said:
“Minister Eli Yishai has just boarded a chopper, and flying to the scene” theres a coplete miss apropreating of resuorses for politacal gain what help is he going to be o sene?
———————————————————-
There’s an expression you should know.
Better to keep your mouth closed and appear stupid, then to shoot it off and remove all doubt.
Y.W.Editor shot you down pretty soundly, would you say!
You’ve also got at least 11 mistakes in your brief comment! See how many you can find.
I count 13 errors for #10!
#3 No prisoners in the bus..50 young prison service cadets going to help with the evacuation when there bus driver lost control because of dense smoke, hit a tree and burst into flames. All died. Baruch Dayan HaEmet.
Tehillem anyone? I’ll bli Nederland do 1-20 this is horrible horrible story and we need miracles! Please PLEASE PLEASE JOIN ME! Let’s not just sit back and do nothing! Please join!
Didn’t wanna make him feel too bad, Doc.
That’s what Doctors are for.
But you’re right!
OOPS! I recounted, Doc, and got 14!
Get back to work!
#17 i have been going crazy trying to figure out how this bus could have caught fire and burned so fast that NO ONE had time to get out- while your theory could be an answer the pictures of the charred bus show it in the middle of the street.
does anyone have an idea how this happened?
Read UPDATE 2:03PM EST that explains it
#21 – the fire travelled 2 kilometers in 5 minutes, I read, because of the wind. That means it travelled FAST – faster than the bus could go (on a mountain road, I guess).
It is worth noticing that Israel has 1500 firefighters, for 7 million people. There are no volunteers. By comparison, in Holland, for 17 million people (ie 2,5 times Israel), there are 27,000 firefighters – ie, per capita, SEVEN times as many.
It’s all due to budget cuts. The ones to blame here are the GOVERNMENT, including the current one. Just a few months ago the firefighters launched a strike to protest against their tiny budget. Now we see the outcome of the governments’ obsession with military stuff, while totally neglecting essential, critical services such as the firefighting units!
#22 still. you see fire you stop the bus and run for your life? not drive into it. no?
What are we to make from this?
R”L this tragic event is happening on Chanuka and Greece (AKA “Yavan”) is the country that is helping the Jews.
May Moshiach come b’karov and we should be mevaser besuros tovos.
running takes longer than driving
Why is no one wondering why Hashem sent this? It probably is from him, no? He sends the enemies and the disasters. He sends them because of sin. All tragedy is a result of sin, especially in Israel. Read Tanach, its open as day.
Instead of giving rational reasons (which is needed) focus on the real reason. Maybe we are abusing Sabbath. Maybe we are materialistic and we pay Hashem lip service. Maybe there is baseless hatred amongst ourselves which we refuse to rectify. Maybe we keep Shulchan Aruch terribly. Maybe.
Does anyone care to focus on the real reasons?
#27 – maybe we have a government that cares only about saving money and therefore provides the country with ONE SEVENTH the firefighting capacity of European countries (I assume the US/Canada are similar to Europe).
By comparison:
* Netherlands: 27,000 firefighters for 17 million people.
* NYC: 11,600 firefighters for 8,4 million people.
* Germany: 1,3 million firefighters for 90 million people.
* London: 5800 firefighters for 7,5 million people.
* Israel: 1500 firefighters for 7 million people.
Tell me your conclusions, everyone.
Are there any Yom Teffilah!’s going on in America?
Are we going to sit idly by?
Does anyone have connections to Missaskim to arrange an emergency Tefillah Rallie?
wag the dog says:
December 2, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Why is no one wondering why Hashem sent this? It probably is from him, no? He sends the enemies and the disasters. He sends them because of sin. All tragedy is a result of sin, especially in Israel. Read Tanach, its open as day.
Instead of giving rational reasons (which is needed) focus on the real reason. Maybe we are abusing Sabbath. Maybe we are materialistic and we pay Hashem lip service. Maybe there is baseless hatred amongst ourselves which we refuse to rectify. Maybe we keep Shulchan Aruch terribly. Maybe.
Does anyone care to focus on the real reasons?
i dont want to focuz on the real reason, because i am not a neviah and dont know the real reason. there could be a million different reasons why Hashem allowed this to happen, but i dont think any of us are on a level to determine that.
also, i will take the last 10 p’rakim of tehillim. 141-150
“It’s a miracle already if Peres is praying!”
Of the secular Israeli politicians, Peres is one of the most respectful of Jewish traditions. He was always supportive of Torah institutions. He maintains a kosher home. He has been close to Chacham Ovadiah Yosef for decades. And he still speaks proudly of having as a child received a blessing from the Chofetz Chaim. Would that all secular Israelis thought and acted like that!
I’ll take Perakim 11-20 inclusive.
Re focusing on the real reasons: right now is not the time. Now is the time to daven, to help in practical ways such as donating blood, etc. if nearby, and to increase our bein adam lachaveiro.