12:05PM IL: As reported a short time ago,  a four-story underground parking lot construction site at Nechoshet and Barzel Streets collapsed. This is located in the Ramat HaChaiyal area of Tel Aviv. Magen David Adom has already reported that six victims were treated and being transported to area hospitals, with one listed in serious condition.

MDA and United Hatzalah declared a “multi-causality incident”, resulting in a large response of personnel and units.

There is much confusion as initial reports stated a crane collapsed onto the site, causing the construction site to collapse. However, it is now reported the top of the construction site collapsed onto the lower levels. Construction site foremen state that based on the number of workers operating on the site, there are likely to be 15 to 20 people trapped under the rubble. Making rescue work more precarious is the fact that junks of concrete are falling, making the site dangerous and unstable.

The IDF Homefront Command search & rescue team has been activated as clearly much of the work will be done by hand as people are feared to be trapped between the concrete slabs. MDA and United Hatzalah are operating on the scene and Zaka is expected to be operating with its search & rescue officials as well.

The scene at present is described as “chaotic” as the situation is still being evaluated and the IDF Homefront team is in the process of responding, not yet on the scene.

12:11PM IL: EMS personnel have set up a staging area and are standing by to treat persons extricated from the rubble. There are believed to be 8-to-10 people trapped but this number is unconfirmed as it reflects a calculation based on the number of construction workers who reported to the site today and subtracting the injured already treated and others who are accounted for. The remainder, those unaccounted for, appear to be 8-to-10 people. At present, entry to the area is complicated and dangerous and EMS personnel may not enter as they usually would at a multi-casualty incident.

That said, MDA Chief Eli Bin confirms paramedics are working in a shaft in an effort to reach some of the wounded.

Engineers have assumed command of assessing the stability of the remaining concrete, working with fire services rescue personnel towards determining who and how rescuers may begin sifting through the rubble in the hope of extricating survivors, the construction workers believed to be below.

Ichilov Hospital has implemented its mass-casualty plan and is standing by to accept most of the injured in the construction site collapse.

12:22:PM IL: Magen David Adom reporting a total of 11 injured, including a 25-year-old male in serious condition with head injuries. He was transported to Ichilov Hospital. Another victim is listed in moderate condition at Ichilov and nine others in light condition (2 to Ichilov, 4 to Beilinson and 3 to Tel Hashomer Hospitals).

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Media Resource Group)