Firefighters were called to put out a fire that broke out in a four-story residential building on Ofek Street.
Troops from the Southern District Fire and Rescue Service were called this morning (Saturday) to a residential building on Afek Street in Arad, where a fire broke out.
Reports of the fire were received at the Arad station hotline around 6 a.m., and several teams of firefighters and volunteers were dispatched to the scene and began firefighting operations in one of the apartments as well as rescuing the building's occupants.
At this point, the fire has not yet been brought under control.
Photo: Fire and Rescue Southern District
"Firefighters who arrived at the scene identified a certain fire in a four-story building and smoke released from several apartments in the building at the same time," the fire and rescue service said.
"The forces immediately began a combined operation to extinguish the fire on the first floor, and at the same time to search for trapped people. Several occupants who apparently inhaled smoke were evacuated from the building by the firefighters, and were transferred for treatment by MDA.
In addition, a 70-year-old man was evacuated to the hospital who inhaled smoke in a mild-to-moderate condition, after being rescued by firefighters and volunteers. "
Dimona station commander, Deputy Commander Gershon Kalimi, who was present at the scene: "This is a very complex incident in which there are a large number of people trapped in the apartments due to the intrusion of smoke from the first floor. We are injured as a result of inhaling the smoke and we are continuing our actions until we gain control. "