One person died and 31 were injured in a fire that spread Thursday in a pharmaceutics manufacturing facility after an explosion, which, according to preliminary investigation, was most likely caused by a malfunctioned reactor.
Magen David Adom paramedics tented to the injured, who were suffering primarily from smoke inhalation and light burns. Some 12 employees of the plant suffered shock and were evacuated to the Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba .
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Representatives of the Environmental Protection Ministry monitored the area to ensure that no leaks of hazardous materials were posing any additional risk. As of yet, surveyors assessed that no hazardous substances have leaked.
Rescue teams enter plant (Photo: Herzel Yosef)
- Firefighters from the Beersheba and Ramat Hovav fire departments were assisted by the facility's ICU unit, servicing the Teva-Tech plant 24 hours a day.
Following the explosion, head of the Ramat Hovav Council, Andre Uzan, ordered that an inquiry committee investigate the incident. Committee representatives will include a member of the Economy and Trade Ministry, an environmental specialist and a local councilperson.
Teva issued a statement sending its "condolences for the loss," adding that the company was "keeping in close touch with the injured and their families in order to make sure that all their needs, resulting from this incident, are met."