80-Year-Old Barry Levitt Dies in Jerusalem Balcony Collapse at Bakery

Barry Levitt, aged 80, died in a balcony collapse accident in Jerusalem's Rehavia neighborhood on Monday. The balcony detached and fell onto a branch of Angel Bakery while Levitt was dining there with his wife and grandchildren. Levitt's wife sustained minor injuries, and four other people were also injured and taken for medical treatment. Emergency teams rescued Levitt from the rubble in critical condition, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.

The incident occurred around 17:25, with eyewitnesses and passersby helping to prevent further collapse of the structure. A private engineer had inspected the balcony just hours before the accident, warning of its dangerous condition and recommending scaffolding be installed. However, the collapse happened before any safety measures were implemented. Jerusalem's city engineer, Yoel Even, also visited the scene following the disaster.

Levitt was a regular customer at the bakery, and his funeral is scheduled for 21:00 on Monday evening at Mount Herzl Cemetery in Jerusalem. Initial emergency calls described multiple casualties and trapped individuals, with rescuers urging those trapped to evacuate quickly due to the unstable structure. The heavy damage to the bakery and surrounding street was documented by emergency services and media.

The police have authorized the release of Levitt's name 24 hours after the tragedy. The community and emergency responders continue to assess the situation and investigate the causes of the collapse.