Israeli Firefighters Control Gas Leak After Crash on Highway 446, Road Remains Closed

Firefighters from the Benjamin and Central districts successfully contained a major gas leak from a truck involved in a crash on Highway 446 on Thursday morning. After sealing the damaged gas tank, crews are carefully extracting the remaining gas to safely remove the vehicle from the scene. Despite the immediate danger to the public being eliminated, authorities have kept the road closed in both directions to complete the complex gas extraction operations.

The incident began earlier with a police chase of a stolen vehicle driving recklessly against traffic on Highway 446. During the pursuit, a police car rammed the stolen vehicle, causing it to collide forcefully with a gas truck. This collision caused the gas leak, prompting an immediate closure of the highway between Hashmonaim Crossing and Nili Square.

Emergency responders, including police from the Modi'in Illit station and firefighters from Benjamin, are managing the scene amid the ongoing hazard. Two police officers sustained minor injuries and were treated at a hospital. Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area until the cleanup is complete and the road reopens.

The firefighting teams used water dilution and physical sealing to mitigate the gas leak risk. The incident, described as a security-criminal event with multiple casualties, has caused significant disruption on this key transportation artery in the West Bank region.