Two people die after falling into pit in north; third in critical condition

Two people were killed and a third was in critical condition after falling into a pit in the northern village of Deir al-Asad on Sunday.

Two of the men were firefighters who fell into the hole during an attempt to extract the third, a Palestinian laborer who had earlier plunged inside and lost consciousness.

The firefighters were pulled from the eight-meter-deep hole by other rescue personnel at the scene, according to a Magen David Ambulance service statement.

Medics tried to revive them while they were being taken to Nahariya’s Galilee Medical Center in critical condition, MDA said.

One of them was later declared dead. He was named as Adnan Assad, 40, from Beit Jann.

Rescue workers at the scene also pulled the Palestinian man, in his 20s, from the hole. He was also taken to the hospital in critical condition and was declared dead several hours later.

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

“We lost touch with the firefighters who had descended into the hole,” a police officer at the scene said.

“Additional firefighters descended with protective clothing. We found the two firefighters in very serious condition, and then the young man, who turned out to be in the country illegally,” the officer added.

A resident of Deir al-Asad was arrested Sunday evening on suspicion that he had employed the Palestinian.