One person was killed, and two others were seriously injured in a fire that broke out at an Intel factory in the Rabin Industrial Park in Kiryat Gat.
The three victims, one of whom was classified as being in critical condition, were evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva. After several hours fighting for his life, doctors were forced to pronounce the critically injured victim dead.
Magen David Adom paramedics Yuval Elias and Moed Al-Amor, along with emergency medical technicians Aviad Ben-Nahmo and Ido Navon, described the rescue efforts at the scene: “This was a serious incident involving three people who suffered severe burns while working. Two of them, one around 50 years old and the other around 30, had no pulse and were not breathing. We performed lifesaving resuscitation efforts, including chest compressions, ventilation, and defibrillator shocks. After their pulses returned, we continued providing medical treatment, including sedation and ventilation."
They added: “Another injured person, a 26-year-old man, suffered severe burns to his upper body. We provided him with lifesaving medical treatment and evacuated all three to the hospital in serious condition."
Police from the Southern District, along with emergency and rescue services, arrived at the scene. Police are investigating whether a gas canister explosion caused the conflagration. They are also examining the possibility of a hazardous materials leak.
Firefighting crews have brought the fire under control and are continuing efforts to extinguish the blaze and prevent it from spreading.
Authorities said nitrogen trifluoride, a nonflammable substance with oxidizing properties, is involved at the site. The area has been cordoned off within a half-kilometer radius. The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
The forces are working to isolate the scene and are conducting searches to rule out any additional danger. At the same time, police officers are directing traffic to enable the continued rescue efforts.
Police have called on the public to avoid arriving at and gathering in the area, to listen to the forces' directives, and to allow the teams to continue their work.
Yanky Weinberg, the deputy chief of the Kiryat Gat United Hatzalah station, and EMT Hila Rinkoff stated, "Two victims were evacuated in United Hatzalah ambulances to meet with an intensive care ambulance, in critical condition while CPR was being performed."