Eight firefighting teams were dispatched overnight Sunday to combat a fire that broke out at the ruins of the former UNRWA compound in Jerusalem.
Fire crews worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby homes in the Ma’alot Dafna neighborhood. At the same time, firefighters conducted thorough searches of the site—including a two-story structure still ablaze—to ensure no one was trapped inside.
Firefighting teams work overnight to contain a blaze at the demolished UNRWA compound in Jerusalem
(Video: Fire and Rescue Services)
According to the Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Service, the primary concern was stopping the fire from reaching residential buildings adjacent to the site.
The compound, located in the Ammunition Hill area of northern Jerusalem, was the former headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). It was demolished last week by order of the Israeli government, following an earlier evacuation earlier this month.
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Firefighting teams work overnight to contain a blaze at the demolished UNRWA compound in Jerusalem
(Photo: Fire and Rescue Service)
The demolition came in the wake of a government decision to sever ties with UNRWA, amid efforts to replace the agency’s activities with alternative bodies. New legislation passed by the Knesset revoked UNRWA’s diplomatic immunity and authorized the transfer of its property to the state, following accusations that some of the agency’s staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel.
No injuries were reported in the fire. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.