Firefighters were dispatched Sunday morning to extinguish an asbestos fire in Kibbutz Harel, after several homes in the community were destroyed Thursday in a devastating firestorm.
A special hazardous materials (Hazmat) team of firefighters was sent in to the kibbutz, which is located about 4.5 miles north of Beit Shemesh, after it was found that asbestos-cement (referred to sometimes as AC sheet) was burning at the ruins of several homes in Harel.
Asbestos-cement, which was a common building material prior to the 1980s, can be a serious health hazard, particularly if it is exposed to the elements, causing its particles to spread in the air.