1 killed, 1 injured as fire extinguisher explodes on IDF base
Civilian employee of the army fatally wounded in blast, pronounced dead in hospital; second worker lightly injured; military opens investigation
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJudah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
A civilian employee of the military was killed after a fire extinguisher exploded on an army base in central Israel on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces said.
A second civilian worker was lightly injured in the blast at Tel Hashomer army base and taken to the hospital for treatment, the military said.
“A short while ago, an IDF employee was critically wounded as a result of a fire extinguisher explosion during routine work on an army base in the center of the country,” the military said in a statement.
The victim, later identified by the army as Shai Gabai, 38, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment where he was pronounced dead.
The lightly injured worker was also taken to the hospital, the army said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the fire extinguisher to explode.
The head of the IDF’s Technology and Logistics Directorate, Maj. Gen. Itzik Turgeman, called for a team of experts, led by Col. Yaniv Avitan, to investigate the matter.
“In addition, the Military Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident. Once completed, they will hand over the findings to the military advocate general,” the army said.
The MAG will determine if those involved in the fire extinguisher explosion are subject to criminal prosecution.
Gabai, of the coastal town of Givat Olga, was scheduled to be buried in a private ceremony in Hadera’s new cemetery at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the army said.
The Times of Israel Community.