Police: Serious progress in investigation of Acre Old City building collapse

Gag order prevents publication of ongoing investigation, dispute over cellular antennas may have been motive for sabotage.

By BEN HARTMAN
Building collapse rubble in Acre (photo credit: IDF)
Building collapse rubble in Acre
(photo credit: IDF)
District Police have made “serious progress” in their investigation into the Acre Old City building collapse on Monday that killed five, saying that there is strong evidence to indicate that the blast was caused by sabotage.
On Thursday police secured a seven day gag order on the investigation, preventing the publication of any developments for the time being including arrests. They would say only that “There have been developments in the case in the past couple of days.”
Residents of the Old City said this week they believed the collapse was caused by sabotage, either by somebody placing an explosive of some sort or by rigging a gas leak in order to cause the blast.
The motive for the explosion is a cellular antenna that was placed on the roof of the building by the owner, against the wishes of nearby residents who blamed it for causing serious illness in residents of the Old City.