Man dies in apartment fire in central Israel

A man was killed early Sunday in an apartment fire in central Israel that authorities said was likely caused by an electric short-circuit.

The blaze began around 2 a.m. at an apartment in Moshav Batzra that is populated by foreign workers. Firefighters who arrived at the scene extinguished the fire.

When they entered the building, they discovered the body of a 37-year-old Thai national who had been working in Israel and didn’t manage to escape. He was found in his bed.

Magen David Adom paramedic Israel Lifshitz said first responders found the man with severe burns, and that his death was pronounced at the scene.

Police said a preliminary investigation by an expert indicated that the blaze was caused by an electric short-circuit, adding that the circumstances were being investigated further.

On Thursday, a fire in a residential building in the city of Beit Shemesh left 19 people suffering from smoke inhalation, mostly children, including two who were hospitalized in serious condition.

Three members of the same family suffered the worst injuries, including six- and seven-year-old children who were in serious condition. The children were sedated and attached to a respirator, according to MDA. A 22-year-old woman was moderately hurt.

There were 16 others in the building who suffered light injuries, including a dozen children. There was no immediate indication of what sparked the blaze.