Jerusalem Municipality's Unusual Directive to Residents Following the Rehavia Disaster

Following the collapse of a balcony on KKL Street in the Rehavia neighborhood, which killed an 80-year-old man and injured three others, the Jerusalem Municipality issued an unusual directive to property owners to inspect cantilevered balconies built before 1980. The inspection must be carried out by a qualified engineer, and the responsibility for maintenance lies with property owners.

The Jerusalem Municipality issued an unusual directive on Sunday to property owners across the city to conduct engineering inspections of cantilevered balconies built up to 1980. The announcement comes in the wake of the disaster on KKL Street in the Rehavia neighborhood, where a balcony on the second floor of a building from the 1950s collapsed onto a branch of the 'Angel' bakery, killing an 80-year-old man and injuring three others: his wife and two teenagers aged 16 and 17, all in light condition. The municipality stated that the Dangerous Buildings Department is contacting property owners, holders, and users of cantilevered balconies ("hanging balconies" not supported by columns) in older buildings to check their engineering condition via a qualified engineer, in order to prevent similar disasters. The municipality emphasized that according to the Jerusalem Municipal Bylaw (Dangerous Buildings) and the Israeli Standard for Building Maintenance, the responsibility for proper maintenance lies with property owners and holders. The inspection must include an examination of the structural system, the anchoring method of the balcony, the condition of load-bearing elements, signs of wear, corrosion, cracks, or concrete spalling, and load-bearing capacity. The municipality called for immediate action in case of defects, and the public was asked to report information to the Dangerous Buildings Department. A preliminary investigation revealed that earlier that day, an engineer visited the site due to concerns about defects, gave instructions, and a few hours later the collapse occurred. The police opened an investigation, and the scene is being examined for criminal suspicion.