Fire and rescue teams on Monday morning rescued a 15‑year‑old boy who became trapped on the counterweight of a crane atop a 36‑storey building in Jerusalem. He had been stuck there since midnight.
Rescue forces were summoned after roughly seven hours, and then it took about two and a half hours to ascend the building, secure the teen to a harness, and bring him safely down to the ground.
Rescue of 15-year-old boy stuck on a crane in Jerusalem
(צילום: תיעוד מבצעי כב”ה ירושלים, לינוי אבוקסיס)
The special rescue unit of the Jerusalem District Fire & Rescue Service was dispatched; they built advanced rope systems on top of the crane, overcame the difficult access and problematic angle, and then managed to secure and safely extricate the teenager. Police forces also arrived on the scene and launched an investigation. An initial examination indicates the incident was not an attempted suicide. The teenager was transferred for medical treatment.
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Teen sits on crane awaiting rescue
(Photo: Jerusalem Fire Department )
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The teen was on the crane for 7 hours before the rescue atempt
(Photo: Jerusalem Fire Department )
“This is a very complex rescue, both because of the great height and because of the complicated and problematic angle in which the crane is positioned,” according to Deputy Commissioner Shai Nehemiah, who commanded the operation. “The fighters are operating with judgement and professionalism to build a rope system that enables safe access to the boy and his rescue.”
Deputy Commander of the Jerusalem District, Deputy-Commissioner Eyal Cohen, who was present in the command center and led the forces, said after the rescue: “This morning we saw the high operational readiness of the special rescue unit. Symbolically, just yesterday the unit carried out a complex training scenario simulating exactly a crane‑rescue scenario, and today the officers needed to apply those skills in real time. The training and professionalism are what led to the event ending in safety.”
The incident was reported to the 101 emergency center of Magen David Adom at 7:08 a.m. Paramedics and first‑responders from the organization arrived at the scene and provided medical safeguarding during the firefighting teams’ rescue operations.