IAF, firefighter teams nationwide scrambled to Jerusalem area to battle dual-focal blaze near capital and after several hours got it under control; "we are stuck in a traffic jam that is starting to become a death trap, because the fire is getting closer to us from the wadi. "some people are hysterical, and have left their vehicles and crossed to the other side of the road to catch a ride."
"Women and children left their vehicles and escaped. They crossed the highway by foot and tried to catch rides. The trauma from the Carmel fire is back"
On Sunday Jerusalem firefighters extinguishedno fewer than 15 fires that broke out in the city.
"We fear that most of today's fires were caused by arson,"
Jerusalem fire chief Capt. Friedman said.
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The operations chief of Jerusalem's Fire Services reported that fires in the Motza area are all under control after firefighting teams nationwide were scrambled to battle a massive blaze that erupted near the capital Tuesday afternoon. He nevertheless noted that it would take a while to extinguish the smaller fires.Fire and Rescue Services Commissioner Shahar Ayalon postulated that the massive blaze could have broken out due to arson. "A fire doesn't start itself. This was either caused by negligence or was lit intentionally," he said.
Police closed the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway (Highway 1) in both directions and reopened it two hours later. Some residents in the Motza area were evacuated.
Four people suffered mild smoke inhalation injuries.
According the Fire Department, 35 firefighting teams were trying to contain the flames. Six IAF planes assisted in their efforts. told Ynet. "At some of the sites there is even evidence to that effect."
Moshe Ben Hamo, from Ma'aleh Adumim, who was travelling on Highway 1, said "we are stuck in atraffic jam that is starting to become a death trap, because the fire is getting closer to us from the wadi. People are getting out of their cars and are watching. We are not sure why the police is not opening the
road so we can turn around."
Ben Hamo added that "some people are hysterical, and have left their vehicles and crossed to the other side of the road to catch a ride."
"I saw thick smoke and the flames began spreading in the direction of the road, there was no where to escape,"
Women and children left their vehicles and escaped. They crossed the highway by foot and tried to catch rides. The trauma from the Carmel fire is back, because
the fire has spread to the trees in Mevaseret," he said.
On Sunday Jerusalem firefighters extinguished
no fewer than 15 fires that broke out in the city.
"We fear that most of today's fires were caused by arson,"
Jerusalem fire chief Capt. Shmulik Friedman told Ynet. "At some of the sites there is even evidence to that effect."
Authorities are investigating the fire. A security source told Ynet that all leads are pursued at this time, including arson.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4247677,00.html
