A complicated rescue operation unfolded in Yerushalayim on Shabbos after a man became trapped inside a large underground garbage container in the Gilo neighborhood, forcing firefighters to battle dangerous gases and a severe lack of oxygen for more than an hour before successfully extracting him alive.
Following the rescue, Magen David Adom personnel treated the man at the scene before transporting him in moderate condition to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center.
The emergency began when the Fire and Rescue Service’s 102 hotline received a call reporting that an individual was trapped inside an underground garbage container. Firefighters from the Yerushalayim station were immediately dispatched, along with members of a specialized rescue unit.
When the emergency crews arrived, they lowered gas-detection equipment into the container and discovered that oxygen levels inside were dangerously low. Police officers at the scene said the trapped man had a history of mental health difficulties. Because of the hazardous conditions, rescuers worked to convince him to put on a special rescue hood that would provide him with breathable air while they prepared to extract him.
Meanwhile, firefighters used specialized equipment to continuously pump fresh air into the underground container while working to stabilize the dangerous conditions. The crews continued ventilating the space until their equipment showed that concentrations of hazardous gases had fallen substantially.
A crane belonging to the Yerushalayim Municipality was subsequently brought to the location to lift the enormous container from underground. The container and everything inside it were estimated to weigh approximately one ton.
Once the container had been raised, firefighters were finally able to gain access to the trapped man and safely remove him.
Incident commander Rami Meir described the difficulties faced by the rescue teams, saying, “This was a complex and dangerous rescue operation. Upon our arrival, we detected very high concentrations of explosive gases inside the container, so our first priority was to reduce the gas concentrations and pump air into the container.”
“After over an hour of intensive work, we succeeded in creating the conditions that allowed his rescue and transfer for medical treatment,” Meir added.
After being brought to safety, the man was handed over to Magen David Adom personnel, who provided initial medical care before evacuating him to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center for further treatment.
{Matzav.com}
