Second factory worker injured in suspected gas cylinder explosion at Intel plant pronounced dead
The explosion occurred as two trucks were unloading nitrogen into tanks at the facility. One truck had completed its delivery when the blast hit during the transfer from the second truck.
A second worker at Intel's Kiryat Gat factory in Israel has succumbed to injuries sustained in a suspected gas cylinder explosion, raising the death toll to two. The first fatality was reported on Wednesday, with a third worker seriously injured and admitted to Soroka Medical Center.
The explosion occurred as two trucks were unloading nitrogen into storage tanks. Intel's Kiryat Gat factory, known as FAB 28, is a crucial manufacturing site for semiconductor chips used in the company's processors. This facility represents one of Intel's key production hubs in Israel.
Initial reports from Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority suggested the possibility of hazardous chemicals leaking following the blast. The company confirmed that the incident involved nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), a non-flammable gas with oxidizing properties.
Intel's local authority, Mayor Kfir Swisa, stated that hazardous materials were suspected to be involved, emphasizing that the situation appeared to be a hazardous materials incident. Authorities are still investigating the exact stage of the manufacturing process where the explosion took place, though an unusual malfunction is currently the leading suspect.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
