IDF Civilian Worker Killed in Fire Extinguisher Explosion

YERUSHALAYIM
The Tel Hashomer IDF base. (Flash90)

An IDF civilian worker was killed Tuesday, R”l, when a fire extinguisher he was working with exploded at the Tel Hashomer base in central Israel. The victim was named as Shai Gabay, z”l, a 38-year-old resident of Givat Olga. He was badly injured in the explosion, and succumbed to his wounds a short time later. A second civilian worker was lightly injured in the incident. He is being treated at Tel Hashomer hospital.

The circumstances of the explosion are not clear, and an IDF investigation is under way. Officials said that the explosion occurred in a warehouse where several smoke bombs were stored, and when the fire extinguisher exploded, it set off the smoke bombs, exacerbating the explosion.

In a statement, the IDF expressed regret for the incident, which it said occurred “within the context of normal work done at the base.” The explosion was restricted to the storage room, and there was no danger of chemicals or other dangerous materials leaking out, the army said.

Funeral arrangements were not yet announced Tuesday afternoon.

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