Boy, 10, critical after explosion in Beitar Illit trash fire

A 10-year-old boy was critically injured Wednesday afternoon in Beitar Illit when a trash fire exploded on Rebbe of Nadvorna Street, leaving him unconscious with severe multi-system trauma.

The incident occurred around 5:00 p.m. during what appeared to be a routine trash fire. Emergency dispatchers received reports of an explosion at the scene, and fire crews from the Judea regional station were dispatched along with local volunteers.

The boy, who was near the fire when it exploded, was critically injured. Firefighters arriving to extinguish the blaze immediately called for reinforced medical teams and began providing initial aid.

Magen David Adom teams from the Jerusalem district, including medics and paramedics, arrived quickly and began life-saving treatment. According to initial reports from medical personnel on scene, the boy was evacuated unconscious, suffering from severe multi-system trauma, and was rushed to hospital for urgent care.

Photo: Magen David Adom operational documentation

Moshe Fordsham, a United Hatzalah ambulance driver, said: "While driving in a United Hatzalah ambulance I heard a powerful explosion. I got out of the ambulance and saw a boy around 10 years old unconscious and suffering from severe injuries to his body. I performed resuscitation on him and he was then evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital with his condition defined as critical."

MDA paramedic Yinon Bar Nachman recounted: "When we arrived at the scene we saw a 10-year-old boy unconscious without pulse or breathing and suffering from severe injuries and burns to his body. We provided him with life-saving medical treatment that included stopping bleeding, chest compressions, ventilation and administering medications, and we evacuated him to the hospital in critical condition while continuing resuscitation efforts."

Trash fires in public spaces pose a severe safety and environmental hazard. In many cases, piles of refuse contain pressurized containers, flammable materials or explosive substances that react to high heat and can cause powerful blasts without any advance warning. Fire and police forces have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the trash fire and what led to the deadly explosion.

Police stated: "Officers from the Etzion station in the Judea and Samaria District were called a short time ago to Rebbe of Nadvorna Street in Beitar Illit following reports of an explosion and fire. From initial details, a trash bin (recycling) caught fire for a reason not yet clear, and as a result an unknown object flew out of it and struck the body of a boy around 10 who was nearby. As a result, the boy was seriously injured (according to medical personnel) and is being evacuated for further treatment at the hospital. Police forces are at the scene together with firefighters and have begun investigating the circumstances of the incident."