One Dead and Several Injured as Balcony Collapses at Jerusalem Bakery

A balcony collapsed today on a branch of Angel Bakery located on KKL Street in the Rehavia neighborhood of Jerusalem. At the time of the collapse, several customers were inside the bakery. An approximately 80-year-old man was killed, and several others, including the victim's wife, were injured. The building is an old three-story structure above the bakery's commercial floor. The balcony that fell was only a few square meters but was positioned directly above a temporary winter closure facing the street, leaving customers without overhead protection during the collapse.

The exact circumstances of the accident remain unclear. The balcony was part of the old building, not a new addition. Notably, about an hour before the collapse, an engineer, likely representing the residents, visited the site and left shortly before the incident occurred. If confirmed, this suggests the residents had identified a risk of collapse but the engineer may have underestimated the severity. Immediate evacuation of the building might have saved lives.

The Jerusalem municipality dispatched a hazardous buildings team and the city engineer to the scene. Officials are currently assessing the building's stability, identifying risks, and providing guidance for next steps. The municipality urged the public to avoid the area to allow emergency responders to work effectively. Further actions will be based on professional assessments once completed.