A powerful explosion at the Intel plant in Kiryat Gat in southern Israel left three people seriously injured on Wednesday, triggering a hazardous materials leak at the facility. Residents of the town were told to keep away from the area for fear of being exposed to the substances, which have been identified as nitrogen trifluoride.
Video: The fire at the Intel plant in Kiryat Gat on Oct. 14, 2026 / Fire and Rescue Services
The blast reportedly stemmed from a malfunction. Magen David Adom emergency crews rushed to the scene, and a helicopter is on its way to evacuate the casualties. "Following the incident at a factory in Rabin Industrial Park, MDA paramedics are providing medical treatment and evacuating three injured people to Soroka Medical Center," MDA said in a statement.
"The injured include a man in his 50s who underwent resuscitation and is in serious, unstable condition, with burns to his upper body. He is sedated and on a ventilator; A man in his 30s is also in serious, unstable condition after undergoing resuscitation. He is sedated and on a ventilator, with extensive burns; and a 26-year-old man is in serious but stable condition, with burns to his upper body."
According to the Southern District Fire and Rescue Services, "At 2:12 p.m., a report was received at the 102 Fire and Rescue dispatch center regarding the identification of thick black smoke and the sound of an explosion from the direction of the Intel plant in Kiryat Gat. Firefighters from the Ashkelon regional station, backed by reinforced crews and designated hazardous materials units from neighboring stations, were dispatched to the scene. As of this hour, eight firefighting and rescue teams are operating at the scene.
"Firefighters have brought the blaze under control and are continuing efforts to extinguish it and prevent the fire from spreading. The incident involves nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), a nonflammable gas with oxidizing properties. Hazardous materials teams are conducting ongoing monitoring and risk assessments to evaluate the potential dangers posed by the substance. The public is urged to stay away from the area and allow emergency crews to carry out their work," the statement read.
