Twenty-five Israelis were killed and 200 injured, some seriously, when the third floor of the Versailles Hall in the west Jerusalem suburb of Talpiot collapsed during wedding festivities taking place in the hall, reported Haaretz.
Reports indicate that the floor of the third storey collapsed, bringing down the ceilings of the floors below. Hundreds of guests have been injured. Reuters said earlier that hundreds were still trapped in the hall.
Ambulances and rescue crews rushed to the scene. Over 700 people were at the wedding ceremony when the disaster occurred.
Jerusalem Police Chief Miki Levi said, "We are talking about a major disaster. Dozens are trapped under the ruins...it appears to have been caused by a serious engineering failure."
The police ruled out that the incident was caused by a bomb attack.
"There was no blast. The floor opened up under me. I saw my brothers fall inside and I fell on top of them, burying them," a wedding guest told Reuters.
"Three floors and the ceiling fell down," said Shmuel Dimant, 27, blood streaming down his face.
Witnesses said a wedding had been in progress at the time with loud music playing, and they were unsure if an explosion had taken place.
Hospitals have issued a call for all staff to make their way to hospitals in the Jerusalem as quickly as possible – Albawaba.com
