Firefighter succumbs to wounds, marking 3rd death in pit rescue attempt

A firefighter who was hospitalized in critical condition after falling into a pit during a rescue mission succumbed to his wounds on Tuesday, the Galilee Medical Center announced, marking the third death in the incident.

Dekel Marciano, 33, from Ma’alot-Tarshiha, fell into the hole in the northern village of Deir al-Asad on Sunday during an attempt to extract a Palestinian laborer who had earlier plunged inside.

“[Marciano] suffered from multiple injuries to his lungs, vascular system, and kidney, and possibly brain damage,” a doctor at the Galilee Medical Center said.

He was connected to a dialysis machine, the hospital said Tuesday, but his wounds were too extensive and “in the early morning, during his last hours, his family was called to his bedside.” Marciano left behind a wife and three children, including a newborn, according to Hebrew media.

The Palestinian laborer — named as Samad Al-Aramin, 20 from Hebron — and another firefighter who had fallen into the hole – Adnan Assad, 40, from Beit Jann — were both declared dead on Sunday.

After having lost contact with the firefighters when they descended into the hole, a police officer at the scene said that “additional firefighters descended with protective clothing. We found the two firefighters in very serious condition, and then the young man.”

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According to police, the Palestinian laborer was in the country illegally.

A resident of Deir al-Asad was arrested Sunday evening on suspicion that he had employed the Palestinian, who did not have legal work papers.