Tragedy wafted on the kibbutz winds last Wednesday, as a 14-year-old was left in critical condition after inhaling life-threatening quantities of methane gas while helping to clear cow feces. The young boy tragically passed away this Tuesday.
Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, where he had been treated since arriving last week in critical condition and unconscious, announced Tuesday that he had passed away after suffering organ system failures.
The youth was injured critically while working with his father clearing cow manure onto a truck at Kibbutz Tzora, located adjacent to Beit Shemesh.
While on the roof of the truck, the boy lost consciousness, having inhaled copious quantities of the dangerous methane gas contained in cow excrement.
Medics who arrived on the scene transferred him via tractor to a Magen David Adom (MDA) and United Hatzalah crew for treatment, after which he was evacuated to the Jerusalem hospital.
Yanki Shkol, a United Hatzalah paramedic, recounted "when I reached the scene with other medics, we started resuscitation while on the truck until he was evacuated by tractor with the help of a firefighting team."