Man crushed to death by falling tree branch at hospital in central Israel

Victim was accompanying his pregnant wife to Shamir Medical Center, which expresses ‘profound sorrow over the difficult incident’

A man accompanying his pregnant wife to a hospital in central Israel on Monday was crushed to death by a falling tree branch there.

The man, who was in his mid-30s according to reports in Hebrew media, had come with his wife in the evening to Shamir Medical Center (also known as Asaf Harofeh) in Be’er Ya’akov, near Rishon Lezion. He stepped outside to buy her a bottle of water at an adjacent mall and was crushed when a heavy tree branch fell on him.

Firefighters, as well as volunteers from the ZAKA search and rescue organization, were called to the scene, and used hydraulic instruments to lift the tree branch off the man, Ynet reported, but he was declared dead at the scene.

ZAKA called the incident an “inconceivable tragedy,” according to Walla. ZAKA staff told Channel 12 that the man was unconscious with a severe head wound, and first responders found that he did not have a pulse.

His body was taken to the Abu Kabir forensics institute for further examination.

The hospital said it was investigating the incident and expressed sorrow over it.

“Security and medical center staff arrived at the scene immediately, and the circumstances will be thoroughly investigated by relevant officials,” the hospital said in a statement. “We share the family’s sorrow and convey deep sorrow over the difficult incident.”