12:30PM IL: As reported in previous updates, the cause of the collapse of the four-story underground parking lot construction at Nechoshet Street in the Ramat HaChaiyal area of Tel Aviv was due to engineering failures, not a crane that collapsed in the area.

Rescuers are working on the assumption that eight-to-ten construction workers remain trapped under rubble. Fire services rescue personnel and engineers are operating on the scene and the IDF Homefront Commander search & rescue unit has been activated and of course, Zaka rescue teams are also operating on the scene.

A senior fire services official on the scene suspects the upper area of the construction complex may have collapsed due to “Excess weight”.

Following is a photo essay of the area at this time.

12:34PM IL: Zaka Special Units commander Haim Outmezgine: “Following the declaration of a mass-casualty incident at the scene of the building collapse in Ramat HaChaiyal, dozens of medics and paramedics from the emergency services were called to the scene.

Rescuers from the joint Zaka – IDF Homefront Command unit are working at the scene to try and locate the missing construction workers who are trapped in the rubble. We will do our utmost to locate all the missing. Volunteers with the Zaka Canine unit are currently on their way to the scene in order to assist in the search and rescue.”

12:41PM IL: Based on eyewitness reports from extricated construction personnel and other data from the scene, the operating premise is that six people are still trapped under the rubble.

IDF Homefront Command & Zaka search & rescue personnel are being briefed by incident commanders and engineers as they are preparing to begin probing to extricate the victims. Eleven persons have already been extricated from the rubble.

One construction worker who managed to extricate himself pointed emergency personnel to an area where two of his colleagues are trapped under the concrete blocks, citing they are having difficulty breathing.

The actual rescue will begin as quickly as the scene permits.

12:49PM IL: Channel 2 News quoting incident commanders reports there are five persons missing; two Israelis and two Palestinian workers. Heavy equipment is being brought in to begin moving the large concrete slabs.

The cause of the collapse appears to have been a large tractor operating in the area caused a vibration that led to a partial collapse that dominoed into a major collapse.

The IDF’s Oketz K9 unit has arrived and dogs are being prepared for the search & rescue mission ahead, to extricate the five people believed trapped under the collapse.

Construction company foremen are carefully reviewing all employment lists for today to give search & rescue personnel an accurate number of people believe trapped below. That number is currently five.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Yossi Fraenkel of Zaka, MDA Spokesman Unit and Media Resource Group)