After 13 Hours of Fire: The New Concern at the BIG Complex in Petah Tikva

A large fire broke out in the underground parking lot of the construction site of the BIG complex in Petah Tikva, and firefighters gained full control after more than 13 hours. An electrical failure in the electrical cabinet is emerging as the cause. The stability of the foundations is being examined, and it may be necessary to demolish parts of the site, with damage of millions of shekels.

A large fire broke out last night in the underground parking lot of the construction site of the future BIG shopping complex in Petah Tikva, at the junction of Jabotinsky and Moshe Dayan streets. Firefighters gained full control only in the early morning hours, after more than 13 hours of battling the blaze. The fire broke out in the parking lot spanning about 2,000 square meters, and caused heavy smoke that spread toward the residential towers in the nearby Neve Gan neighborhood. A special investigation team of the Fire and Rescue Services, together with the Petah Tikva police, is investigating the circumstances. Already now, it appears that the primary focus of the fire began in the electrical cabinet on the minus one floor of the parking lot, and from there the fire spread uncontrollably due to the ignition of combustible materials, including plastic pipes and plywood boards stored in the parking lot. The damage from the incident will be assessed later, including the need to demolish the foundations and the existing structure, a scenario that would cause damage of millions of shekels.