Three employees were seriously injured in a fire that broke out at an Intel factory in the Rabin Industrial Park in Kiryat Gat.
After undergoing CPR, two of the victims had their pulse restored. The three victims were evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva.
One of the victims, a man in his 50s, is in severe and unstable condition with burns to his upper body. The second victim, a man in his 30s, is also in severe and unstable condition, with widespread burns on his body. Both are intubated and sedated
The third victim, a 26-year-old man, is in severe yet stable condition, with burns to his upper body.
Police from the Southern District, along with emergency and rescue services, are 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."