Fourth arrest made in connection to Mt. Herzl lighting rig collapse

Next week’s Independence Day ceremony to go ahead as planned, Channel 2 reports

By Aaron Kalman 19 April 2012, 3:14 pm

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Aaron Kalman is a former writer and breaking news editor for the Times of Israel

An investigator looks out over the scene at Mount Herzl where a large platform stage collapsed, killing a young woman and injuring several more on Wednesday. (photo credit: Uri Lenz/Flash90)

Police on Thursday evening arrested a fourth man in connection with the Mount Herzl lighting rig collapse on Wednesday. The event’s producer, who was not immediately named, was taken into custody for suspected negligence that caused the death of 2nd Lt. Hila Betzaleli.

Channel 2 News reported late Thursday night that next week’s Independence Day ceremony will go ahead as planned at the site, but that all the structures that were to be erected there will be dismantled.

On Friday, police will appeal a court decision to allow the three other men arrested in connection with the incident to be released from custody. The men stand accused of negligence, fraud and forgery with respect to a contract to design and build the grand stage to be used in next week’s Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem. The rig over the stage collapsed during rehearsals Wednesday, killing Betzaleli and injuring several other soldiers.

The three men ordered released Thursday are: Oren Varshebski, an engineer and co-owner of Design Group, the company that designed and built the stage and lighting system on Mount Herzl; Elad Levi, another co-owner, and Itzik Tzuker, a safety consultant.

Police discovered that Tzuker is related to an official in the Industry Trade and Labor Ministry and suspect he was granted several major government contracts inappropriately; it is unclear whether he even has a safety inspector license.

The ministry said it knew nothing about the accusations.

The suspects are expected to be brought before Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court again on Friday.

Betzaleli, 20, was laid to rest on Wednesday night roughly 200 meters from where she died. Hundreds attended the funeral.

Rehearsals were under way when the lighting rig collapsed and fell on the central parade ground. Initially, eyewitnesses suggested that strong winds caused the collapse, but police were investigating possible negligence. They were also attempting to determine why rehearsals for the ceremony were taking place while the lighting rig was being erected.