A dramatic and dangerous scene unfolded once again at one of Jerusalem’s most prominent construction sites, as the same teenage boy who sparked nationwide alarm just weeks ago by climbing a towering crane attempted to do it again.

The 15-year-old from Beit Shemesh, who last month climbed a crane at the Marom Tower near the main entrance to Jerusalem and had to be rescued by fire and rescue forces, returned to the site on Monday morning and attempted another ascent. This time, however, the outcome was different: he was intercepted by a civilian passerby and police before he could scale the structure.

The Marom Tower rises approximately 39 stories high, and the previous incident drew widespread public attention, with Israelis across the country watching anxiously as emergency services worked to bring the teenager down safely. Despite that close call, authorities say the boy tried once again to breach the site and climb the crane.

According to police, the teenager was detained and taken in for questioning at the Lev HaBira police station in Jerusalem.

The intervention that likely prevented a second near-tragedy came from Melchiel Elbaz, a drone photography enthusiast who was passing through the area near Jerusalem’s central bus station. Elbaz noticed the boy attempting to cross a security fence leading to the tower and immediately sensed the danger.

“I saw a young guy trying to get past the fence toward Marom Tower,” Elbaz told B’Chadrei Chareidim. “I approached him and asked where he was going. He told me he was the one who climbed the crane a month ago — and that he was going up again.”

Realizing the urgency of the situation, Elbaz decided to act alone while simultaneously calling the police. “I understood I couldn’t wait,” he said. “When I saw that he was determined to cross the fence, I jumped up, grabbed him, and held him for several minutes until more help arrived. Then the police came and took over.”

Elbaz stressed that the incident should serve as a wake-up call. “This is not a joke,” he said. “These are human lives. Pay attention to your friends. One wrong move, and it could end in tragedy.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)