A parked car erupted in flames at around 1:00 in the morning on Tuesday on HaTayasim street in a Holon neighborhood. The explosion was seemingly caused by a gas leak. The flaming car was parked in a lot adjacent to a three-story building causing a threat to those inside.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Raziel Bney Israeli had just dozed off to sleep when he was awakened by the alert to the fire on a street nearby. Without pausing for a moment, he jumped out of bed and sped to the scene on his ambucycle. Raziel arrived in under a minute alongside the chief of police who had parked mere seconds before him.
No more than a minute later, Yarin Harary, a United Hatzalah volunteer EMT, also arrived at the scene of the unruly fire. He had been out with friends all night and was on his way home. He was only a short two minutes drive away from the scene when he was notified of the fire.
A crowd had formed by the car, with some of them dangerously trying to put out the flames by using buckets of water and anything else they had on hand. The volunteer EMTs immediately got to work, securing the area and distancing the people from danger. Raziel and Yarin went into the building and evacuated all the people crowded in the lobby so they wouldn’t inhale the smoky and contaminated air from the fire.
At that moment, the fire department arrived and both Raziel and Yarin contributed to the efforts of putting out the fire with the hoses and extinguishers. It was entirely doused after a few minutes of hosing down the flames. Fortunately, there were no casualties or people injured.
After the incident, Raziel explained, “I volunteer for United Hatzalah out of love for my people and a desire to give to them and help them when they require it. After responding to an emergency, I am immediately overwhelmed with a feeling of satisfaction. Like this morning, when I felt so tired yet satisfied because of the people we saved. These people will now live a happy life thanks to the work of the firemen and the devoted EMT volunteers.”
Yarin also touched on his experience saying, “I didn’t even go to sleep after the fires were put out this morning. I pulled an all-nighter and continued along with my day normally. Now, although I am tired, I am incredibly content that I did a great kindness in saving others.”