A tragedy unfolded in Kiryat Malachi early Sunday morning, when firefighting and rescue forces were called to an apartment on Menachem Begin Boulevard following reports of a fire.
Firefighters operated under intense heat and heavy smoke, conducting searches for trapped residents and working to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent apartments.
Five people were rescued from the apartment, one of whom was found with no signs of life. Medical teams arriving at the scene provided treatment to the injured.
MDA paramedic Ariel Flaut and medics Gershon Alperin and Noam On said:
"We saw thick, black smoke rising from a four-story building. Security forces brought to us a man about 50 years old with burns and signs of smoke inhalation. We performed medical checks, but he showed no signs of life, and we had no choice but to pronounce him dead."
Firefighters managed to gain full control over the fire and then ventilated the structure to eliminate further hazards.
Investigators from Israel Fire and Rescue, along with the district commander and additional professionals, are working at the scene to determine the cause of the blaze.