In one of the worst civilian incidents in Israel’s history, 45 people died and 150 were injured yesterday when attendees at a Lag B’Omer celebration near Mount Meron in the Galilee were crushed by other attendees while exiting the stadium.
Yoni Yagodovsky, director of international relations for Magen David Adom, described the incident as being akin to a “human avalanche” as hundreds of attendees slipped descending a ramp that was reportedly slick with spilled water and grape juice, falling on the people below them and tripping people descending from above. In the growing chokepoint, attendees were crushed or asphyxiated by the throng.
In anticipation of the big crowds, Magen David Adom already had about 250 EMTs and paramedics at the scene, as well as ambulances, Mobile Intensive Care Units, and Medicycles. In addition, prior to the event’s start, MDA established a field hospital and a landing area for a Medevac helicopter. Magen David Adom even conducted a multi-casualty incident drill on Wednesday involving the scenario of a stage collapse with the event in mind.
As a result of Magen David Adom’s preparedness, EMTs and paramedics were rendering aid or initiating CPR to the injured within seconds of the incident. Many of the injured were beyond resuscitation, but the death toll and casualties would have been far greater had MDA not been able to respond so quickly.
“This is one of the most difficult civil disasters the State of Israel has ever known and it is difficult to contain the magnitude of the disaster,” MDA Director-General Eli Bin said. “For more than 20 years, Magen David Adom teams have been medically securing the revelry in Meron, and this year it was one of the most complex security operations that MDA has prepared for.
“Even for MDA teams accustomed to difficult scenes, an event of this magnitude is very difficult. We pray and wish complete healing to the wounded and share in the grief of the families whose loved ones perished in the heavy disaster,” he said.
