Firefighters are battling a blaze which ripped through a Lakewood Yeshivah early Sunday morning.
The fire broke out the Yeshivah Chayei Olam on Faraday shortly before 3:00 a.m. By the time the fire department was called by a passerby, the structure had already been fully involved.
As of this report, the buidling has partially collapsed and has been completely destroyed.
There is no word yet on the Sifrei Torah.
No injuries have been reported.
Developing.
UPDATE: The fire was brought under control by approximately 4:30 a.m.
Unfortunately, the Sefer Torah had been destroyed in the blaze. The safe had reportedly fallen through the floor during the collapse. Still smoldering, the Sefer Torah was carried out by firefighters and treated with utmost respect.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office, the Lakewood Detectives Bureau, and OCPO.
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Nebach. So so horrible. Who is the Rosh hayeshiva of chayei olam?
please post a link for donations.
Rabbi Chaim E Unger Rosh Hayeshiva
Ra Bromberg Menahel
Terrible tragedy for all – I don’t think its proper to be posting pictures of the burnt Sefer Torah which is a disgrace and not being sensitive to all of us mourners.
Just imagine posting pictures of Gedolim after life.
IT MADE ME CRY AND DO TESHUVAH
Rav Chaim Eli Unger is the Rosh HaYeshiva
R Chaim Eli Ungar, and Rabbi Bromberg
Horrible! Unthinkable! Such a beautiful Sefer Torah!
Rabbi Felder’s Shul on 18th Avenue in Borough Park had the same fire a few weeks ago and all of their sifrei Torah were fine; what’s the difference? Rabbi Felder had a large decent safe; this was probably one of those cheap little Home Depot safes, it shouldn’t have opened like that from a 7 foot fall, and a Sefer Torah safe must be fire proof for a decent amount of time; this is something that you can not skimp on.
Also: for a yeshiva in an old wood bi-level structure, where was its sprinkler system.
I have a large safe in my home for a Sefer and Neviim for when they come back from a yeshiva during bein hazmanim, it’s fire proof , water proof and a bomb can’t even open it up.
I feel terrible for Rav Leizer Yuda Bromberg and all the melamdim and talmidim. It’s an exceptional Yeshiva with outstandingly devoted staff. As it is they’ve gone from building to building and now they are homeless.
We must all band together in support of this moisad to try and get them in to their OWN bakavodiker building!
Click the donate link!
now isn’t the time to mussar out the yeshiva for not having a proper safe, its to late
during musser seder we will cry over our poor decision of going cheap on the safe , but not in the public forum
Dear Branovicher,
Sorry I wrote that, I didn’t want to insult you, but I couldn’t control myself seeing a Sefer Torah like that.
My purpose for writing it was to Mussar the 10’s or 100’s of new minyanim or yeshivas whom keep Sifrei Torah in Safe’s “made in China” which they delivered to Yeshiva or Shul with their minivan.
Over 20 years ago after my father was nifter I bought and wrote a few ס״ת of which till today I get calls from yeshivas or shuls whom need one for a short time, so before I would borrow them anything I check out the building and the safe of which my findings were unbelievable . Many have small lightweight safe’s of which just 1 guy with a hand truck/cart can lift it and wheel it right out. One kept it in a safe in a sub basement. One kept it in an unheated enclosed porch which is 100 in the summer and 20 in the winter, that safe was rusted solid etc. ; 90% of new minyanim and yeshivas don’t have decent safes.
Many years ago there was a basement Shul on E. 7th , the Rabbi begged me for a ס״ת but he had no safe, so we had delivered a large heavy duty safe which only costed $1,700 in those days so I paid the locksmith for it and the Rabbi gave me 17 head checks for $100 a month.
will there be a “leveyah” for the sefer torah?