Israeli forest fire near Haifa kills 40 prison guards (trapped in a bus on the way to help rescuers)

[Turborama]

Source: BBC

About 40 prison guards have died after being trapped in a forest fire that is raging out of control in northern Israel, police say.

All the dead were on a bus which was caught in the inferno, in the Carmel Mountains near the city of Haifa, they said.

Hundreds of people, many of them prison inmates, have been evacuated from the area. Scores more have been injured, the ambulance service said.

The Israeli prison service said the bus was carrying guards "on their way to help in the rescue activities" at nearby Damon Prison. The men had not worked at the prison but had raced to the area from central Israel to assist in the rescue, prison service spokesman Yaron Zamir said.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11901750

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A very sad story. Video of the forest fire at the link.

[mike_c]

1. how terrible....

Wow. I'm at a loss for words.

[Renew Deal]

2. What a horror.

:cry:

[aquart]

3. Trapped on the bus? Dear God.

I know how it feels to lose the ones who ran to help.

And I can't imagine that Israel has huge experience fighting forest fires.

[leftynyc]

4. How horrible

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those lost.

[Hissyspit]

5. Runaway Forest Fire in Israel Incinerates Bus, Killing 40

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Runaway forest fire in Israel incinerates bus, killing 40

By Sheera Frenkel | McClatchy Newspapers

JERUSALEM — At least 40 people were killed Thursday when a massive forest fire spread from Israel's northern city of Haifa into the surrounding hills and incinerated a bus that was carrying prison guards. It was the deadliest fire in Israel's history, according to rescue workers, who struggled to contain flames that raged late into the night.

Most of those killed were guards, who were racing across the north to help evacuate a low-security jail that held Palestinian prisoners. The bus was traveling along a mountain road when flames suddenly surrounded it, rescue workers said.

The bus driver was unable to avoid the blaze, which was spreading at a rate of more than 100 mph, firefighters said. When the bus swerved off the road, it was caught in an inferno. All the prison guards were killed immediately, Israeli medics said.

"Anyone who's ever seen a firestorm will know. They could not survive it. They had no protection; they just fell to the road and burned alive," firefighter Dudu Vanunu said.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/12/02/104648/runaway-forest-fire-in-israel.html

[hlthe2b]

6. What a horrible horrible way to die...

May they rest in peace.

[Binka]

7. OMG! Horrific n/t

[kestrel91316]

8. This part is what is so tragic:

They were "racing across the north to help evacuate a low-security jail that held Palestinian prisoners"......

[BrklynLiberal]

9. very, very sad...

[inwiththenew]

10. Burning to death has to be one of the worst ways to die

Hopefully the smoke got them first, but with it being in the open who knows.

[NuttyFluffers]

11. how horrible, what a horrific way to go!

the only merciful way to go in that situation is death by smoke inhalation. the other option is so nightmarish to even think about. those poor people...