VIDEO – At first light Friday, walking through the debris of what is normally a bustling square in downtown Netanya, the full extent of the damage caused by Thursday's deadly gas explosion was revealed.
Broken plates and tables, kitchenware and bottles hurtled across the square where, the remnants of the restaurant that used to stand there. On the other side of the square, scorched prayer books, dust-covered Torah scrolls and religious paraphernalia, were all that was left of the neighborhood local synagogue.
Home Front Command and Rescue Services teams were still tunneling through the debris of blast site in the early hours of Friday morning. The explosion claimed the lives of four people and left some 50 people wounded.
Rescue workers walking through Netanya blast site
(צילום: יואב זיתון)
Rescue Services at Netanya blast site
Using bulldozers and specialty equipment they are attempting to dig through the first floor of the building, which suffered the brunt of the explosion. It is estimated that rescue work will continue throughout the day.
Police have ruled out the possibility that the blast was a terror attack but have yet to rule out a case of accident, negligence or foul play. Two suspects are in custody.
The City sent multiple sanitation crews to the area to assist in the cleanup of the square, which is one of the city's main venues.
Shocked residents described the scene as "a combination of a terror attack and an earthquake."