Barry Levitt, 80, was killed Monday evening when a balcony collapsed onto a bakery in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood. Levitt was sitting at the establishment with his wife and grandchildren when the structure suddenly collapsed.
The incident occurred on Keren Kayemet LeIsrael (KKL) Street, when a second-floor balcony from a three-story residential building fell onto a ground-floor Angel Bakery branch, causing extensive damage.
Levitt’s wife was lightly injured, and four other people were also hurt and evacuated for medical treatment.
Rescue teams found Levitt trapped beneath the rubble in critical condition. Firefighters worked to extract him, but medical teams declared him dead at the scene.
His funeral will be held Tuesday evening at 9:00 p.m. at Jerusalem’s Har HaMenuchot Cemetery.
A preliminary investigation found that an engineer had arrived at the site earlier Monday after structural defects were discovered in the balcony. According to initial reports, the engineer warned that immediate action was needed, but the balcony collapsed several hours later before repairs could be completed.
Firefighters, Magen David Adom paramedics, United Hatzalah volunteers, and Israel Police officers responded to the scene. Rescue teams searched the area for additional victims, while police launched an investigation into the circumstances of the collapse.
The Jerusalem Municipality said: “Following the collapse of the balcony on KKL Street, a dangerous structures team was dispatched to the scene, alongside the city engineer. Once the inspections are completed, the municipality will act in accordance with the findings and recommendations of the professional authorities."