An explosion that occurred Tuesday morning at an industrial zone in the southern city of Ashdod left two people dead, said the Israeli police.
Two others were moderately wounded in what appears to be a work accident at the local metal recycling plant.
A preliminary investigation showed the blast was caused by two gas canisters but the probe into the incident is still ongoing. Sources said one of the suspicions is that the business was operating without a license.
Magen David Adom paramedics who were called performed CPR on the two victims but ultimately were forced for pronounce their deaths at the scene.
The two workers, who sustained moderate injuries to their limbs, were evacuated to Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital. Another person was lightly hurt.
"When we arrived at the scene, we saw destruction," said Matan Cohen, an MDA paramedic who was one of the first at the scene. "A 35-year-old man was rescued by people at the location, while being fully conscious and suffering from a moderate leg injury.
"We put him in an ambulance and urgently evacuated him to a hospital as he was receiving life-saving treatment ... later he was sedated."
The hospital said the condition of one of the injured is stable.
"A few minutes ago, the hospital received a moderately injured patient with limb injuries. In light of his injury, he needed to be sedated and given respiratory support," said the hospital in a statement.