A large shopping complex in Petah Tikva, central Israel, faces potential partial demolition following a devastating fire that burned for more than 13 hours. Electrical failure is currently being investigated as the likely cause of the blaze at the Big shopping mall. Firefighters have now shifted their focus from extinguishing flames to assessing structural damage, particularly to the building’s foundations and car park levels. Authorities are conducting urgent stability tests to determine whether parts of the facility will need to be demolished due to fire damage. The extensive heat and duration of the fire have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the complex’s load-bearing structures. Residents in surrounding areas experienced significant disruption as emergency services battled the blaze, with thick smoke visible across the region. The full extent of the damage and any required demolition work is expected to be determined within the coming days following completion of structural assessments.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.