A large fire broke out in an industrial zone in Shlomtzion in the Jordan Valley on Tuesday, according to Fire and Rescue Services. The building where the fire broke out is a cooling factory and contains dangerous chemicals. Teams arrived at the scene to monitor the chemicals.
שריפה פרצה ליד גן ילדים בשלומציון שבבקעת הירדן. הגן פונה. קיימת סכנה שהאש תתפשט למפעלים סמוכים@carmeldangor pic.twitter.com/NjTSur9QP8
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 29, 2022
About 30 firefighting teams are operating at the scene and more forces are on their way, according to the Fire and Rescue Service Judea and Samaria Region spokesperson.
Nearby kindergartens and schools are being evacuated, the Israel Police said.
In addition, residents of the nearby towns Yafit and Masuah and people visiting the Mifgash Habika rest area and Regional Council compound were directed to remain indoors and close all windows and insulation vents.
Israel Police officers and workers from the Jordan Valley Regional Council and the environmental branch of the City Association of Judea and Samaria are operating in the area.
The first report, from about 1:00 p.m., was of the burning of plastic containers. The first team to arrive at the scene saw that the fire had already spread and that many more teams were needed. Storage rooms, packaging areas and greenhouses also burned down, said Fire and Rescue Service Samaria Station chief Avishai Shaffir.
Firefighters first focused on isolating the burning buildings so that the fire stops spreading, and then began monitoring the levels of dangerous chemical components in the air, said Judea and Samaria Fire and Rescue Service head Tafsar Shiko Bar Dov.
At about 6:30 p.m. the police announced that the fire was under control.