Nine people were injured Saturday night in a fire that broke out in a two-story building in Akko (Acre). A 30-year-old man was seriously injured, another man was moderately injured, and the rest, including an eight-year-old girl, were lightly injured.
Paramedics and EMTs who arrived at the scene provided medical care to the injured, including a man of about 30 in serious condition who suffered second-degree burns over about 80% of his body, and a 53-year-old man in moderate condition who suffered second-degree burns over about 50% of his body. Both were evacuated to Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa.
Four other victims were evacuated to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, including a 8-year-old girl, a 13-year-old girl, a 41-year-old woman, and an 79-year-old woman. Three other people who were lightly injured were also evacuated.
Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics Adiel Zano and Alon Raz said: "We saw thick black smoke rising from a two-story house. The security forces brought us two victims who were conscious and suffered second-degree burns over significant areas of their bodies. We gave them life-saving medical treatment and evacuated them to Rambam Hospital in stable condition."
"Additional MDA teams who were at the scene provided medical treatment and evacuated to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya four additional victims who inhaled smoke and were bruised by furniture that fell on them in the apartment. Another three victims were evacuated in light condition."
The Fire and Rescue Service said that 10 fire crews and a crane, under the command of firefighter Guy Katzir, arrived at the scene.
"The fire was sourced in an apartment on the second floor, which was completely burned. The firefighters rescued nine residents and worked to extinguish the fire, prevent its spread, and conducted scans to rule out trapped or injured persons. The circumstances of the fire are being investigated."