A dramatic fire erupted in the Valley of the Cross, perilously close to the Israel Museum, igniting fears and causing significant damage to the roof of the museum's youth wing. The museum issued a statement confirming that, thanks to the heroic efforts of the fire and rescue services, the blaze was eventually brought under control, sparing the museum's invaluable art collections from destruction.
The conflagration, which burned for hours, started near the Knesset and rapidly spread toward the Israel Museum, sending plumes of smoke and flames perilously close to this cultural landmark. As a precautionary measure, the museum was evacuated amid conflicting reports on the scale of the response. According to Israel's Channel 12 News, a staggering 23 fire and rescue teams from the Jerusalem district, supported by eight firefighting aircraft, battled the inferno. In contrast, the Jerusalem Post reported the deployment of 14 fire teams and four aircraft. Regardless of these discrepancies, the response was nothing short of monumental.
A forest fire in Jerusalem spread to the Israel Museum, forcing its workers to evacuate. Thankfully, Ynet's @liran__tamari is reporting that the fire was stopped before it went inside the actual museum.https://t.co/vId8P3iY0m
โ Josh Feldman ื'ืืฉ ืคืืืื (@joshrfeldman) June 2, 2024
Museum officials reassured the public that the priceless works of art remained safe, stating, "There is no danger to the works of art housed within the building." This came as a huge relief to art lovers and historians worldwide.
The Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Service highlighted the challenges posed by the fierce winds and scorching temperatures that fanned the flames towards the museum. "The fire spread towards the Israel Museum due to the winds and extremely hot weather," they explained. Firefighters focused their efforts on preventing the blaze from breaching the museum's defenses.
Fire crews and aircraft are currently fighting to gain control of a blaze that began in Jerusalem's Valley of the Cross and spread in the direction of the Israel Museum and the Knesset.
โ Israel National News - Arutz Sheva (@ArutzSheva_En) June 2, 2024
๐ฅJerusalem Fire and Rescue Operational Documentation pic.twitter.com/zbUqoBXdMh
Adding to the formidable firefighting force, an Israel Police Air Unit helicopter joined the fray, providing critical aerial support. A large police contingent from the Jerusalem District also mobilized in the nearby Matzalaba Valley, also known as Rehavia Park, where another forest fire had raged shortly before.
The origin of the fire remains a mystery, but it coincided with Israel experiencing unusually high temperatures, with forecasts predicting even hotter conditions in the coming days.
BREAKING ๐ฅ The massive forest fire at Jerusalem was finally contained
โ Tลma ๐ (@NationOfEldia) June 2, 2024
The fire that started not long ago almost reached the Jerusalem museum
23 firefighters teams and 8 planes were called to the scene and were able to stop it before reaching the museum and cause more damage pic.twitter.com/xHf2KucAVW
This incident underscores the bravery and dedication of the emergency services who worked tirelessly to protect one of Israel's most cherished cultural institutions.
