The Versailles Wedding Hall building collapse in Jerusalem last night is being termed the worst civilian disaster in Israel\'s history. An estimated 650 people were celebrating a wedding in the building when its top floor collapsed, bringing down the entire center of the building. A total of 341 persons were treated in Jerusalem hospitals, including over 20 in serious condition. Of the remaining 300 people, 24 are reported dead, but many - possibly around 250 - escaped without injury. The police continue to ask those who were in the building and are unhurt to inform the police, so that an accurate picture of how many are still buried under the ruins can be attained.
Only one wedding was taking place in the building at the time, on the top floor - as opposed to on many other evenings in the past, when a second simultaneous wedding was held on a lower floor. One television commentator said, \"There is a miraculous aspect to this, as the number of casualties could have been not double, but four times as many.\"
Army and police rescue crews continued to work throughout the night and today, physically moving aside pieces of rubble of various sizes in an attempt to detect signs of life. Four people have been rescued alive from under the ruins, but no one has been saved since 2 AM, nor have any signs of life been heard or noted since then. The roof is still standing on two remaining pillars, and the danger of it falling is slowing up the work significantly. The rescue work is expected to take up to 4-5 days. Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau ruled last night that the works must continue throughout the Sabbath and Monday\'s holiday of Shavuot, as the possibility of saving lives takes precedence over the Sabbath.
Of the 14 bodies that have been identified, three names have been released:
Tif\'eret Heimenrat, 24, who was buried in N\'vei Dekalim this afternoon; Yosef Shriki, 80, the grandfather of the groom, and Inbal Ben-Shushan, 22, who were buried in Jerusalem today.
The bride, Keren, suffered a broken pelvis, while the groom, Assaf Dror, was physically unhurt. His maternal uncle and aunt are among the missing.
The \"Hessed Shel Emet\" society, which deals with burial procedures, rescue, collection of body parts, and other aspects of catastrophes of this nature, has been on the scene throughout the night. In addition to offering refreshments and comfort to the wounded, they established a center at which the bodies were concentrated for initial purification procedures. The bodies were then taken to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for identification.
Only one wedding was taking place in the building at the time, on the top floor - as opposed to on many other evenings in the past, when a second simultaneous wedding was held on a lower floor. One television commentator said, \"There is a miraculous aspect to this, as the number of casualties could have been not double, but four times as many.\"
Army and police rescue crews continued to work throughout the night and today, physically moving aside pieces of rubble of various sizes in an attempt to detect signs of life. Four people have been rescued alive from under the ruins, but no one has been saved since 2 AM, nor have any signs of life been heard or noted since then. The roof is still standing on two remaining pillars, and the danger of it falling is slowing up the work significantly. The rescue work is expected to take up to 4-5 days. Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau ruled last night that the works must continue throughout the Sabbath and Monday\'s holiday of Shavuot, as the possibility of saving lives takes precedence over the Sabbath.
Of the 14 bodies that have been identified, three names have been released:
Tif\'eret Heimenrat, 24, who was buried in N\'vei Dekalim this afternoon; Yosef Shriki, 80, the grandfather of the groom, and Inbal Ben-Shushan, 22, who were buried in Jerusalem today.
The bride, Keren, suffered a broken pelvis, while the groom, Assaf Dror, was physically unhurt. His maternal uncle and aunt are among the missing.
The \"Hessed Shel Emet\" society, which deals with burial procedures, rescue, collection of body parts, and other aspects of catastrophes of this nature, has been on the scene throughout the night. In addition to offering refreshments and comfort to the wounded, they established a center at which the bodies were concentrated for initial purification procedures. The bodies were then taken to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for identification.