By YWN and COLlive
A large fire broke out on the top floor of a dorm of a Chabad girls’ school on Rechov Dovid Yellin in Jerusalem early Monday morning, injuring more than 30 people and requiring rescue forces to extricate dozens of girls from the burning building.
Twelve firefighter and rescue teams were deployed to the scene and found a large number of girls at the Ohr Chaya Seminary dorm who were trapped by smoke and fire.
The forces rescued the girls from the building and treated them at the scene. Some were evacuated to Shaare Tzedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals, including three in serious condition who suffered from smoke inhalation and two in moderate condition.
Dr. Aryeh Yaffe, a volunteer doctor with United Hatzalah, and United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs Ariel Drey and Zevi Klein reported from the scene: “The fire broke out in a residential building that partly serves as a girls’ seminary. We provided initial medical assistance to numerous casualties, including three men who ran into the building to rescue victims, and 14 girls who were evacuated by United Hatzalah ambulances. Additionally, medical teams treated three critically injured victims at the scene, along with two girls in moderate condition and dozens with minor injuries. Large firefighting forces operated at the scene to extinguish the flames and rescue those trapped in the burning building.”
Of the 20 victims who arrived at Hadassah Ein Kerem, 15 have been released. Three girls are awaiting tests and are expected to be released soon. A girl who was moderately injured and a staff member who was seriously injured are still hospitalized.
Both the girl, who was moderately injured, and the staff member, who was seriously injured, are fully conscious and receiving oxygen. Doctors are awaiting the results of tests, which will determine the length of hospitalization.
Imad Kherbawi, a 35-year-old Arab-Israeli from the Mount of Olives who works in construction on the upper floors of the building, entered when he realized that a fire had broken out in the dormitory located at the bottom of the building. In his actions, he helped dozens of girls escape the burning building to the outside area. He tells Israel Hayom about the dramatic moments:
“I work in construction in the building there. I went to work like every day, changed into my work clothes, and suddenly I heard an explosion. I realized something had happened, went down to the lower floors, and saw the building on fire. I’ve been working there for almost a year, and I knew there was a girls’ dormitory there. I wasn’t scared and went down to help however I could. The fire was in the corridor, not in the rooms themselves. I opened the doors, shouted ‘Get out, there’s a fire.’ The girls heard the noise and ran downstairs. I think I saw about 40 girls making their way down.
At first, I was still able to see them and enter the rooms, but later I couldn’t see anything because of the smoke, which I also inhaled and made me feel unwell.”
Later in the conversation, Imad noted that it took a long time for the rescue teams to arrive: “It took the ambulance a long time to get there, more than half an hour. They need to arrive faster; it could have ended in a disaster.”
COL spoke this morning with the Ohr Chaya staff, which updated the public following the event:
“A large fire broke out in the Chaya Mushka Seminary building of the institution, located on David Yellin Street in Jerusalem. As a result, 12 girls from the institution were evacuated to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in the city. The seminary staff is at the medical center and is providing the girls with the necessary support.
“All of the girls’ families have been updated on the details of the situation and a situation room has been opened to address the situation. We are working diligently to find alternative solutions for them following the fire damage to the building. We would like to thank the emergency and rescue teams for their dedicated work and continue to pray for days of good news.”
Thankfully the girls are safe.
My daughter and her friends attempted to run out of building but they were locked inside with a padlock with no one to be found with a key.
Only with the help of neighbors on outside who used a chain saw to get through the door were they saved. A special mention also to an Arab worker who endlessly helped save girls at risk to his own life.
Parents: please make sure your seminaries are not locking the girls in at night.
Google triangle shirtwaist factory fire. Hashem yishmor
Not only Seminaries. …. Also Yeshivas too
This should be investigated.
Who locks a door where people reside with a “PADLOCK”
What a horrible thing to lock 18 year old girls or boys in seminary and yeshiva. The hanhala is so scared of what to lock people in. Parents should demand the end to this .
Don’t people EVER learn from history! Amazingly thoughtless that the hanhala never learned history. What a scary situation they created!!
Padlocked doors.
Who will lose their job over this?
I don’t think jobs will be lost because I’m not sure there will be jobs to go back to, but I do think there will be multiple charges against different people. Refuah Shleima to the injured.
The comments assume the padlock was outside the building, as in the tragic Triangle fire. It is more likely the padlock was inside the building, and unfortunately, none of the girls knew where the key was (or couldn’t find it in the panic). Please don’t assume the worst about the Hanhala.
Really doesn’t matter if it was inside or outside. The girls inside had no key and no fast exit route from a fire and smoke that could have been deadly. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and exit plans are the Seminary’s responsibility. Many seminaries do not seem to take our children’s lives and safety seriously. A different Lubavitch girls Sem abandoned their girls alone in a dangerous area in the days after October 7.
They have no right to lock the doors at night. Why doesn’t the person who herself locked the door sleep there. Because she’s scared herself I’m sure. It’s obvious she most be locking the doors because she thinks some girls might try to go out during the night which if that is so this person should be ashamed of herself for thinking like that. Not to trust your own students is ridiculous and embarrassing for the girls. That person who looked the doors should be forced to sleep in a room that is locked in all sides.
Especially when their in a country at war?! I don’t want to think about what could happen If a siren goes off in the middle of the night!
Moshiach NOW!
Sounds like an early chanukah miracle
👌
This seminary needs to be accounted for their actions. With no working smoke detectors, we are lucky the girls came out alive. Sounds very unsafe to to have the main door locked and only 2 of the madrichas knowing the code!
B”h there were no casualties. Really a miracle. As a grandmother with ka”h 4 einiklach learning in seminaries and Yeshivos in Israel, I find it appalling that a seminary can lock 18 year old girls into a building. I understand there were no smoke alarms and there were bars on the windows.
And for these wonderful accommodations , parents have the distinct pleasure of dishing out upwards of $22,000. A year. People should be much more careful in checking out the place where their child will be living for the year, before dishing out such large sums of money.
whats up with locking people in buildings?
UTTER DISBELIEF.NEEDS TO STOP YESTERDAY
AGE AND TUITION AMOUNT IS IRRELEVANT,NO ONE GETS LOCKED IN A BUILDING. EVER
In every office building which is up to code, the stairwell doors are self-locking. Once you go into the stairwell, the door locks shut and you are locked in the stairwell.
Nope. The door back to the building may lock closed (entry back into building allowed on certain floors) this is on order to keep the stairway safe, but it is always required to exit onto the street.
You can always exit to the street or main lobby nonetheless!!!!
Everyone’s scared to open their mouth in these seminaries because of shidduchim, so the principles get away with murder of not providing basic essentials. i was talking to a mother where her daughter was in sem, only one apt had a fridge, the other 1 had a washing machine, but no stove, just dysfunction like that, but if you complain, they won’t accept you next daughters, so everyone remains quiet, and the principal makes a fortune on the sem… Idk how girls can grow and learn from a principle that’s so disrespectful to the girls, I went to sem in… Read more »
Sounds like Gateshead?
There are many complaints about the high price of seminary and lack of concern for the students. The seminaries have many applicants for every space. If parents feel taken advantage of, they should seek out schools that show concern and care for their students. Girls should not have to buy food everyday because they are hungry, nor have to search for Shabbos and Yomtov accommodations, should have safe and comfortable dorms, etc.
We are all the problem we keep sending our kids to these places and do not demand safe dorms and enough food
Gross negligence on the part of the hanhola of this seminary.
Padlocked door and no fire detectors!
The families should be refunded their tuition.
The hanhola should be barred from ever running a seminary in the future.
Bh everyone is – and will iyh be – ok. But this is appalling! We cannot rely on miracles!!! These seminaries and yeshivas need to step up and treat our children as if they were their own children. Parents entrust our most precious commodities to these institutions and pay a LOT of $$. The very basics must be given in return. Safe environment, smoke detectors, not being locked inside!! Basic survival necessities. Not asking for anything fancy.
very wise comment
Thank you
I am always wary of first time programs, run by people who have never done this before. It’s one thing if a well known institution starts a new wing or new division, but it’s totally another when people who have no idea of what they are doing decide to open a program and have no clue of the responsibility it entails!
Ohr chaya has been around for years. Only the American program is new
If you can’t figure out how to educate or regulate your girls at night to not go to the shuk which is around the corner you should reconsider what you’re doing till now…
stop it. your children arent slaves that you must regulate them
To those mentioning the costs of sending girls to this seminary, this is an Israeli-based program so tuition is a lot less than the Amercian sems in Israel.
That being said, locking them in and having no smoke detectors is still unacceptable.
Locking them in so no one gets in or out is a security measure. Aren’t there bars on your windows so no one gets in or out through the window – even in case of fire?! But access to the lock is needed. And the 2 madrichot had access to the combination. Don’t think emotionally, think logically. You do the same for your family!
The lock should only prevent outside interference not inside going out
Um, no. In my family each person has an emergency escape route that needs no key.
What caused the explosion?
there was a boiler that overhated cuz there was too much pressure
The seminary needs to be held accountable . It is never under any circumstances ok tp padlock anyone into a building . If the girls cant be trusted to remain in the building after curfew then maybe those specific girls should not be there to begin with , or perhaps better supervision is needed… a responsible dorm counselor. BH no one was critically injured but its an open miracle and we cant rely on miracles
Sure, have a responsible dorm counsellor sleep with her bed blocking the door. A girl, up late studying might want to run out and get a falafel at 32 AM. The responsible dorm counsellor is long asleep. But the predators are roaming the deserted streets and something bad can happen!
even the best dorm counselor cant stop young kids going out and getting something to eat. i had vg children learn in Israel and they would go out to grab a bite. no harm
Every parent should demand to see the fire risk management and fire plan for their child’s yeshiva/seminary. Sadly this is not rare or uncommon and negligence IS criminal and opposite of Tu”M, no excuses.
Did you demand to see the fire risk management and fire plan for your child’s local elementary school? Maybe they have one. But what about the playgroup in the basement with only one exit next to boiler room and electrical box?! Who are you kidding!
To all those screaming about girls and bocurim locked in at night…suppose a girl or bochur sneak out at night and end up kidnapped or dead? You would all scream, why did they not secure the building to ensure that no one can just get up and leave during the night?! Teenagers are known to sneak out at night…
That’s a stupid argument.
They’re grown up kids, they’re not 5.
They are TEENAGERS. They are impulsive, risk takers, unaware of risks and not aware of the consequences. A mid-night run to the store for nosh at 2 am or just a jog around the neighborhood, makes sense to a teenager. Are you so old that you forgot the risks taken in your teens?!
But what if there is a fire?
If there is a fire or a medical emergency…then a plan for access must be made. Same with bars on basement windows – what if there is a fire? One set of bars has a key to unlock it. Simple planning.
Right, they aren’t 5 year olds. They are impulsive teenagers that test authority and break rules. A 2 AM sneak out to the shuk to get a snack, is rational to them. They care not of the risks. And if something should happen, you would be first to scream, why were they able to leave?!
What sane human, Jew, Chossid, Mechanech, locks people up?
If there is really a concern, don’t accept those girls, or send them home.
Insane.
You’re ridiculous. We can either bear the pain of a few sneaking out, or them ALL getting locked in. The lock was outside, with no way to unlock it from inside in case of emergency.
You can bear the pain of a few sneaking out…only till one get injured, abused, abducted or worse. Then you will scream about the idiots that didn’t prevent them from sneaking out!
Do you padlock your home to protect your teenager? This is out of hand.
Ever heard of:
“Fire egress is more specifically defined as methods for exiting a structure during a fire. There are laws on the municipal, state, and federal level that determine what standards a structure must meet in order to be considered safe for fire exit”
This is required: residentially, commercially, you-name-it, to save lives. Period.
To do the opposite, preventing exit, is negligence at best, and I’m sure those responsible for this will be held accountable, and/or if this institution will remain.
This sem does NOT charge less than other sems for American girls. Full full tuition to raise money to build and they’re living in a construction sight. Was a hazard and parents complained and were sent certificates saying it’s safe. Was a disaster waiting to happen.
They’re experienced tho and have been running a program for Israel’s and French for years. Nice hanhala good people but took a risk with our girls lives for money. BH Hashem and the Rebbe watched over them.
This seminary program needs to stop!! stop once for all.
Girls have been brain washed with this overseas seminary program since their Bat Mitzvah grade.
Life can move on without seminary !!!!!!!
Programs that are outrageously expensive with the worse service ever. (Being locked in with chains like encaged animals). Playing with danger after they all stuff their personal bank accounts. What a shame. !!!!!!!
Our girls are not HEFKER.
To all American (Crown Heights) Menahelos. Do something to accommodate young girls here next to their family.
nothing wrong with seminaries. what’s wrong is, saying that their whole life relies on it especially if you want to get married
Absolutely a WASTE OF MONEY. We’re educating our dear precious daughters and giving them everything we possibly can physically and emotionally. We’re “supposed” to send them to this “sem” because THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE ADVERTISING AND PRESSURING THE GIRLS. And all our hard work is put down the drain to having our daughters return home TRAUMATIZED for life. The future of the Jewish nation – these are the precious future mothers the ones raising the next generation of children and are living with trauma from seminary. LETS GIVE OUR DAUGHTERS A YEAR OF SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT WITH A GOOD JOB… Read more »
Seminary is the ONE year our girls get to have learning for its own sake, with no grades or government requirements. This is their last year of doing this before they enter the workforce and IY”H get married and begin taking care of a household. While I don’t think every girl NEEDS seminary, we should fargin our girls their only chance to learn for a solid year of their own volition. Do we value Torah learning of girls or not? Or we think that the Torah of boys is worth spending $20,000 on for years in a row, but we… Read more »
Seminary doesn’t have to stop, the brainwashing does.
Thank God they’re all Saved. a Chanukkah Miracle
A few weeks ago a friend asked me for advice to find a mesivta for his son. I sent him a list of sample questions, including questions on security and safety. (I added to the list for this post.) 1) Who at the moisad is responsible for safety? 2) Who at the moisad is responsible for security? 3) Is the staff trained in safety and security, and familiar with the policies? 4) Are there working smoke detectors in the building and dorms? 5) How often are there fire drills? 6) Is your kitchen inspected and licensed by the state? 7) Is everyone required to buckle up in cars and… Read more »
I think your overdoing this a little, no need to be so extreme
LOL, in NYC the building i worked in had the fire and active shooter drills done by the same person. they were both equally useless. He suggested throwing hot coffee at a shooter as if we carry it around all day just in case.
18) Do they allow alcohol use by the students?
19) Do they allow drivers that drink and drive?
20) What is their policy on smioking and vaping?
21) Do the students wear reflectors when walking along the side of dark roads at night?
22) What is their policy about head lice?
23) Is there zero tolerance for bullying or any violence?
24) How often do they serve cancer causing hotdogs, salami and other unhealthy foods?
25) Is there an official handbook to know what conduct the school does not allow?
sneak out at 2 AM.!!! double reason to keep them local and not sending them overseas.
Cheaper to sneak out from home to get a snack
The girls were living on a construction site as you can clearly see from the videos – those windows weren’t put in properly yet, there were still bars up from construction. SHAME ON YOU OHR CHAYA!!!!!! SHAME ON YOU!!! YOU SHOULD BE CURSED WITH ALL YOU DID TO THESE GIRLS. I wonder how you staff members are enjoying your sleep tonight in your safe houses that are built up to code, with windows that open without chains, doors that are locked with an easy way to exit! You might be resting peacefully, but Hashem knows what happened. You clearly did… Read more »
Tell us how you REALLY feel.
Cursing out the Hanhala and wishing them all tsur is disgusting. Of course, this policy is 100% unacceptable and safety measures should have been in place. But this comment is disgusting. Do you think those in charge, from dorm counselors to Hanhala aren’t feeling terrible? These aren’t bad people, they got it wrong and it’s only Chasdei Hashem that the results weren’t far worse. Obviously, all schools need to re-think their policies but actually wishing Yidden harm is NOT the Jewish way. And the Arab worker should be commended for his swift actions.
Thank you for a wise comment.
I agree it’s all a money making business that needs to stop.
There’s no benefit to anyone
Girls don’t need seminary.
And I agree how insane to be locked up and the Hanhala seem like they don’t care less about what’s going on.
If this were my daughter traumatized for life I’d have no words I’d be so torn how do you send a perfectly healthy beautiful girl to a seminary that just neglects your daughter with the bare necessities of an escape plan to get out in case of fire.
UNIMAGINABLE
WE NEED CHANGE!
Wow that was quick, there was a fire and then suddenly no one needs seminary.
And if there’s a fire in a store, no one needs stores?!
Stay focused ye
2 wrongs do not make a right.
I am sure the Hanhala regrets their decision of locking up. They made a big mistake.
Hashem is capable and able to take care of the next step with the Hanhala on how to make sure that the people responsible will get what is coming and what they deserve for this wild decision.
Hashem does not need your help with curses. If a person gets angry, he or she is actually damaging the inside of your body. You can google that. Probably Mayo Clinic spoke about this.
There were no smoke alarms ….. the doors were bolted….Then I heard there was not a mezuzah on the front door or the side door ….. am I crazy …. I am a bubby of one of the girls that was caught in this terrible fire. Now the girls have lost all their clothes and are traumatized….. we need to do something …this is so wrong. It was bad enough that before the fire the girls complained of no hot water for the showers and the pictures I saw of the food supports the claim that the food was horrible.… Read more »
Clearly you have a heart and your head on your shoulders Baruch Hashem.
I know as a mother this is truly unthinkable
In our biggest nightmare such a story doesn’t even happen.
The family’s paying for new clothing all the girls traumatized for life.
This is a real crisis.
The seminary should not be allowed to keep their jobs.
Dorms must be up to code, safety and fire plans, cars given to young shluchum, etc etc. OF COURSE no locking in. If all the parents in Chabad unite and demand responsibility, things can change. Do not less this shock anger and determination fade away .
I don’t understand the point of paying extravagant money and hype kids since their bar/bat mitzva that going abroad to a cool place will sort their lifes… or that will look good on a piece of paper in tjeir shidduchim times.
By the way, the fire happened in early morning hours, not at night, FYI!
Whoever was responsible for locking human beings into a death trap should face jail time.
This is a warning to every single Moisad. Don’t you dare play around with our kids safety. Have fire alarms in every room, hallway, and common area, and don’t you dare lock them in a room without TWO fire exits.
Do you have smoke alarms in every room in YOUR house?! Do you have TWO fire exits from your basement?! How about your kid’s elementary school? Play group? Daycare center? WHO ARE YOU KIDDING?!
Lots of false rumours going round about this building & it’s not helpful. Waiting to find out what the situation really was. (Message from one of the mothers)
Our response should be one of gratitude to Hashem that He saved these precious girls in this month of nissim! Investigations will be done, accountability will be made, but in the meantime… Vitriol? Curses against other yidden?? Hashem yishmor! Taare brothers and sisters, this isn’t the way.
Absolutely horrific fire and if there was truly negligence, people will face the consequences, but we are not judge and jury.
Let’s wake up as high school principles and stop advertising these seminary’s and promote them as if they are a college if you don’t get in you have no future. Is this what the Rebbe had in mind? Let’s have some Rabbis speak about this. I don’t believe the Rebbe meant no college and yes seminary. The girls aren’t learning anything in these schools without proper food, and normal living conditions. We need to set up a system of helping girls get good jobs with groups of friends they feel excited about going with and start bringing a healthy future… Read more »
Hmmm. I don’t know who you talk to. But sem can be life changing for the better. You learn and grow in ways that most people can’t do in high school living at home. And most sems are not locked in.
I do agree however that the $$ is to high for our banks…
About college, please learn all of what the Rebbe said on this topic before talking.
You say, “A year helping Shluchim / organizations and being involved…is something MUCH more powerful than a year in Israel.” I was a shalaich’s helper. And you are in Lala Land! I was a shmatah for a year. I was a full time babysitter, cleaning lady, tutor, help with homework, bathe kids, put them to sleep, dress them in morning and feed them. I was on the job from early morning to late at night (cleaning the dishes in the kitchen). I was treated worse than a goyta because I was given the “zchus” to help a shaliach and his… Read more »
Fact check:
They were stuck because they couldn’t get thru the smoke to the door
And the windows were barred
So they had to wait for the windows to be sawed open to get out from there
And no one is in critical condition
How are people supposed to know if your facts aren’t rumors. Where did you get your information from?
My family member teaches in the seminary.
They are traumatized but it doesn’t make everything in the article true