Abstract:
Israeli media reported that on Wednesday local time, a violent explosion occurred at the Intel wafer factory in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, causing one person to be in critical condition, two people to be seriously injured, and triggering the leakage of hazardous materials in the factory area. Local residents were told to stay away from the area due to concerns about exposure to the leak, which has been confirmed to be nitrogen trifluoride.
Sources at Intel's Kiryat Ghat plant said the explosion was caused by a truck carrying nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃). Nitrogen trifluoride is a highly toxic gas used in semiconductor manufacturing.
Emergency response and environmental protection teams are working on site to assess risks and control the situation.
First responders from Magen David Adom (Israel’s national emergency service) rushed to the scene and transported the injured. "MDA paramedics are treating and transporting three injured people to Soroka Medical Center following an accident at a factory in Rabin Industrial Park," MDA said in a statement.
"The injured include: a man in his 50s, who is still in a critical and unstable condition after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with burns on his upper body, and is currently sedated and on a ventilator; a man in his 30s, who is also in a critical and unstable condition after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, has been sedated and on a ventilator, with extensive burns; and a 26-year-old man, who is seriously injured but in stable condition, with burns on his upper body."
The explosion scene at the Intel factory in Kiryat Gat, Israel
According to the Southern Regional Fire and Rescue Service: "At 2:12 p.m., the 102 Fire and Rescue Dispatch Center received a report of thick black smoke and explosions in the direction of the Intel factory in Kiryat Gat. Firefighters from the Ashkelon regional fire station rushed to the scene with the support of reinforcements from neighboring stations and specialized hazardous materials handling units. As of now, 8 fire rescue teams are working on the scene."
"Firefighters have controlled the fire and are continuing to extinguish the remaining fire and prevent the spread of the fire. This incident involves nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃), which is an oxidizing, non-flammable gas. The hazardous materials handling team is conducting continuous monitoring and risk assessment to determine the danger that this substance may pose. We call on the public to stay away from the area and allow the emergency rescue team to carry out their work smoothly," the notice read.
The explosion scene at the Intel factory in Kiryat Gat, Israel
After arriving at the scene, Kiryat Gat Police Chief Shai Alali said: "I can't tell yet whether there is any suspicion of criminal offenses or negligence. What we know is that a truck was unloading materials into a storage tank in the factory area. After it was disconnected and a second truck was connected, the explosion occurred."
He added: "The disposal team is still spraying and cooling relevant areas in the factory to prevent another accident. Professionals are checking whether there are further leaks. So far, we have not received any signs of leaks, and the situation seems to be under control."
He also said: "We received reports of explosions and smoke at the site. Three workers were transported to the hospital with varying degrees of injuries. We learned that this was caused by some kind of malfunction. The storage tanks were cooled down and we worked with the Fire and Rescue Service and other agencies to handle the incident. During the entire emergency response, there was no need to evacuate Kiryat Gat residents or factory employees," he concluded.
At present, Intel has two wafer fabs in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel. The one currently in production is Fab 28, and there is also an expansion plant Fab 38 in the same park that has not been put into production.
Fab 28 is a 300mm wafer fab that came online in 2008 with approximately 200,000 square feet of clean room and was originally built for 45nm. Later, we made 22nm, and now we are making Intel 7, which is about 10nm. This factory is producing processors and other chips.
Fab 38 is located next to Fab 28 and is an expansion of approximately US$25 billion. The Israeli government will provide matching funding of approximately US$3.2 billion in 2023. Two clean rooms have been planned for more advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography processes. It is not yet a mass production plant. In June 2024, Intel notified contractors to freeze work. "Globe" on October 14, 2026 still wrote that the expansion was stalled. Another builder's website and media said that the civil construction of one of the clean rooms is nearing completion, and the equipment has not yet been installed as originally planned.
The explosion report pointed to the Kiryat Gat Park. The Jerusalem Post and Calcalist write it as Fab 28, and some English sites write it as Fab 38. The two factories are in the same park, and the report did not specify which factory it is.
Comments