A man was arrested Saturday on suspicion of attempting to murder a relative by throwing him into an underground garbage container in Jerusalem’s Gilo neighborhood, police said.
The victim, described as a person with impaired mental functioning, was found trapped inside the container and rescued by firefighters. He received treatment from Magen David Adom paramedics before being taken in moderate condition to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center.
Jerusalem man suspected of attempted murder after throwing relative into underground trash bin
Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
Fire and Rescue Service crews called to the scene found the man trapped inside the underground container and detected low oxygen levels as well as high concentrations of explosive gases, making the rescue operation both complicated and dangerous.
Because of his condition and the immediate danger to his life, firefighters had to persuade him to wear a rescue hood that supplied breathable air.
Incident commander Rami Meir described the operation as “complex and dangerous,” saying crews needed more than an hour to create conditions that allowed them to complete the rescue.
Firefighters pumped fresh air into the container using specialized equipment while working to lower the concentration of hazardous gases.
A Jerusalem Municipality crane was later brought to the scene to lift the container, which together with its contents was estimated to weigh about one ton.