Massive Jerusalem fire burns forests

Haredi Orthodox youth are being blamed for accidentally starting a massive fire near Jerusalem that nearly led to the evacuation of Hadassah Hospital.

The fire, which broke out Sunday afternoon in the hills surrounding the hospital’s Ein Kerem location, burned about 250 acres of forest and resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of residents of three nearby moshavs. Twenty-three cars in the hospital parking lot were damaged by the fire.

Some 30 firefighting units and five firefighting planes worked to control the fire.

One teenager was taken in for questioning and several others could be arrested, according to reports. The teens, from a Jerusalem-area haredi school, were hiking inside the Aminadav Forest when they allegedly started the blaze.

A second fire also started in the forest on the same afternoon, according to reports.