Three workers seriously injured in suspected gas-cylinder explosion at Intel plant, report says

An explosion at Intel’s semiconductor plant in Kiryat Gat seriously injured three workers, Israeli media reported. The Jerusalem Post, citing Magen David Adom, said three people sustained serious injuries in the blast at the southern Israeli facility.

Israeli police told reporters the explosion was suspected to have been caused by the detonation of a gas cylinder, according to The Jerusalem Post. Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority said hazardous chemicals may have leaked after the blast, and that specialised teams were deployed to find the chemical source and to extinguish the fire that followed.

Ynet reported that nitrogen trifluoride, a gas used in semiconductor manufacturing, was involved in the incident and that hazardous-materials teams carried out monitoring and risk assessments. The Fire and Rescue Authority later said firefighters had brought the source of the blaze under control, according to Ynet.

Intel’s Kiryat Gat facility manufactures semiconductor chips, the reports noted. The available accounts state that the cause of the explosion remained unconfirmed at the time of reporting, and that authorities were treating a gas-cylinder detonation as the suspected trigger.

Emergency services on site included Magen David Adom, local police and Fire and Rescue Authority crews, who performed firefighting and hazardous-material containment work. The reports emphasise the involvement of specialised hazardous-materials teams because of the possible leak of industrial chemicals used in chip fabrication.

Officials have not issued a final determination of cause or released an official casualty update beyond the three people described as seriously injured. Media reports cited above present the incident as an acute industrial accident under investigation, with emergency teams securing the scene and monitoring for chemical hazards.