Boy Critically Injured in Jerusalem Area Trash Can Explosion

A 10-year-old boy was critically injured on Wednesday by an explosion that occurred during a fire in a recycling bin in Beitar Illit. Paramedics evacuated him to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, suffering from severe multi-system trauma and burns, while performing resuscitation efforts. According to the Fire and Rescue Services, firefighters and volunteers from the Judea regional station responded to the fire in the bin. During the fire, an explosion of unknown origin occurred, and an object from the bin flew out and struck the boy. Firefighters contained and extinguished the blaze before it could spread.

"When we arrived at the scene, we saw the 10-year-old boy unconscious, without a pulse or breathing, and suffering from severe injuries and burns to his body," said MDA paramedic Yinon Bar Nachman. "We provided him with life-saving medical treatment, including stopping bleeding, chest compressions, ventilation, and administering medication, and evacuated him to the hospital in critical condition while continuing resuscitation efforts." Watch commander Lihi Ben Lulu of the Fire and Rescue Services stated, "This was a very difficult incident, a child was injured as a result of a trash can fire. When we arrived, we saw the injured child and the medical teams treating him. We extinguished the fire and conducted further searches to rule out additional hazards."