Child briefly reported missing after fire near Modiin Illit kindergarten

A fire broke out today, Thursday, near a kindergarten and an apartment building in Modiin Illit, prompting the immediate evacuation of both the school and the neighboring residential building. Heavy smoke rose from the base of the building near the kindergarten, and the blaze raised fears it could spread into the classroom structure.

Fire and rescue crews from the Benjamin district rushed to the scene and began evacuating the kindergarten while also clearing the nearby apartment building, which had been filled with thick smoke. During the firefighting and search operation, the kindergarten teacher reported that one child was missing, triggering an urgent search.

The missing child was found quickly by firefighters. Incident commander Lt. Barak Grobi called it