Firefighters Battle Hours-Long Blaze at Underground Parking Construction Site in Petah Tikva

A large fire broke out on Saturday afternoon in the underground parking lot of the future BIG shopping complex construction site in Petah Tikva. The first report of the fire came around 16:00, and seven hours later, firefighters were still battling flames in multiple areas without full control. The fire started in a storage area containing plastic and pipes. Due to heavy smoke, one lane on Jabotinsky Road, a major artery in the Gush Dan area, was closed, and Moshe Dayan Street was blocked for several hours before reopening.

The Petah Tikva municipality warned residents near the site to keep windows closed and avoid the smoke-filled area. Police urged the public to stay away to allow firefighting teams to operate effectively. The fire erupted on a Saturday when no workers were present, so there was no immediate danger to human life. Firefighting efforts at the underground parking are expected to continue into the night.