A woman in her 80s was killed on Thursday afternoon in an explosion in a residential building on Hamalach Street in the Old City of Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter. A man in his 50s was severely injured and evacuated to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, suffering from severe burns.
An initial inquiry by the Fire and Rescue Services found that the source of the explosion was apparently a gas leak from the kitchen in one of the apartments. The gas reached the explosive limit and caused an explosion that damaged the building.
Magen David Adom (MDA) teams were dispatched and reached the scene using a dedicated ATV, which allowed them to navigate the narrow alleys of the Old City. Upon arrival, the EMTs and paramedics began tending to the victims.
MDA Senior EMT Eliyahu Pachter, and MDA EMTs Eliyahu Nuri and Yair David recounted: "Using a dedicated MDA ATV, we managed to reach the scene through the alleys and we saw to victims, apparently from a gas explosion. The woman lay on the floor unconscious, without a pulse, and not breathing. We provided advanced medical care, including CPR, but unfortunately, we had to pronounce her dead at the scene."
At the same time, the MDA crews tended to a man who was injured in the explosion. He was taken to the hospital, conscious with severe burns.
Firefighters from the Egoz Station searched the building and the area to ensure no one else was trapped. The Fire and Rescue Service updated that no one was found and that firefighters disconnected all sources of electricity and energy to the building.
It was also reported that monitoring tests conducted at the scene did not find any abnormal readings. The incident was declared under control, and its circumstances will be examined by a fire investigator from the Israel Fire and Rescue Service.