Israel News
Death Toll Rises to Two Following Explosion at Intel Plant in Kiryat Gat
A second worker has died following an explosion at Intel's Kiryat Gat plant. A third remains in serious condition as authorities investigate the incident.
The scene of the incident (Photo: Israel Fire and Rescue Services)Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva reported this morning (Thursday) that a 49-year-old man who was brought to the hospital yesterday in critical condition following the explosion at the Intel plant in Kiryat Gat has died of his injuries. This brings the death toll to two, after a man in his thirties, Yakir Kozhashvili, of blessed memory, who worked as a gas technician at the plant, died at the medical center last night.
The third person injured in the incident, a man in his twenties who is also an employee of the company, remains hospitalized in serious condition in Soroka's internal medicine intensive care unit. He is sedated and on a ventilator.
The explosion at the technology plant occurred yesterday afternoon. According to the initial assessment, it was a workplace accident in which a gas cylinder exploded while trucks were being unloaded. The explosion sparked a fire, during which nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) leaked. The gas is not flammable but is toxic and dangerous if inhaled.
Hazardous materials teams from the Fire and Rescue Services conducted ongoing monitoring and risk assessments to evaluate the dangers posed by the substance involved in the incident. The threat to nearby residents was later declared over.
Shai Allali, commander of the Kiryat Gat police, said last night that an initial examination found no suspicion of criminal activity or negligence.
“We understand that one truck emptied material into the tanks at the plant. After it disconnected and the second one connected, the explosion occurred. We understand that there was a malfunction,” he said.
Intel issued the following statement: “We deeply mourn the deaths of two employees following the tragic incident at the Kiryat Gat site, and we share in the grief of their families, friends and colleagues. We wish the third employee who was injured a full recovery. We are cooperating fully with the authorities investigating the incident. We will continue to stand by the families and by everyone who was harmed.”
