A fire broke out Thursday at a massive daycare center located in a synagogue complex in the city of Bnei Brak. Responders were able to get all 150 children to safety in a rescue termed “miraculous.”
The fire started in the basement of the building, located on Meshulam Rahat street.
Hatzalah volunteers quickly cleared the children from the building while firefighters battled the blaze. The presence of a working emergency exit was credited for allowing the dramatic rescue.
“It was a huge miracle,” one Hatzalah volunteer recalled. “The daycare center has an emergency exit, so it was cleared out quickly and that prevented disaster. [Also] the parents came to pick up their children at the end of the school day and to their shock saw heavy smoke, they helped rescue workers get the children out.”
The fire spread to the daycare center and caused heavy damage. The synagogue, located on upper floors, was not damaged.