Electric Car Fire in Underground Parking Lot Kills One in Rishon LeZion

A fire broke out Sunday evening in an underground parking lot of a residential building in western Rishon LeZion, Israel, resulting in the death of one person found inside a burning vehicle. Firefighters battled the blaze for approximately three hours in heavy smoke conditions. The fire, which started in an electric car, is preliminarily believed to be a self-accident that spread to other vehicles in the approximately 20-story building's parking garage on Ahi Lahav Street in the Neve Hof neighborhood.

Seventeen fire trucks and 34 firefighters responded to the incident. Rescue teams worked to extract the individual from the vehicle and transfer them to medical personnel. Several cars were extinguished, and searches were conducted to ensure no one else was trapped and to prevent further spread. Residents of the building were instructed to shelter in their apartments due to smoke.

The police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the fire. "After rescue forces extinguished the fire, the death of a person who was in the vehicle was determined, and their identity is not yet known," a police statement said. Detectives from the Rishon LeZion station are collecting evidence, and the body will be transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for identification. Fire investigators are also examining the cause of the electric car's ignition, with the current assessment pointing towards a self-inflicted accident. Police are collecting surveillance footage to understand the events leading up to the incident.