Israel forest fire claims latest victim
Source: Agencies |
December 7, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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ISRAEL'S top policewoman, who had clung to life for four days after her patrol car was trapped in a burning forest, died of her wounds yesterday, as the last of the flames subsided in the worst fire in Israel's history.
Deputy Commander Ahuva Tomer, head of the police department in Haifa, had been driving behind a bus of prison guards rushing to evacuate a prison on Thursday when both vehicles were engulfed in flames.
Her death raised to 42 the number of people who died in the wildfire, that consumed a 50-square-kilometer area in the Carmel forest, on Haifa's outskirts. The fire was brought under control late Sunday, and further weakened yesterday after overnight rains.
The 52-year-old policewoman became a symbol of courage and devotion to duty after a TV reporter interviewed her just minutes before she set out on what became her last mission. She spoke of the pain of seeing the forest burn and nodding ruefully, added, "It looks like it will last a long time."
Minutes afterward, Israeli media reported, a desperate Tomer radioed police to say she was on fire.
The blaze that killed Tomer has led to much soul-searching in Israel about the state of the country's leadership, as officials had long warned that the ?neglected state of Israel's firefighting operations was a recipe for disaster.
Hours after the blaze broke out on Thursday, firefighters ran out of firefighting chemicals. They also did not have a single firefighting plane.
Israel was forced to scramble to respond, appealing to other countries to send planes and material to put out the blaze, which had been reduced to one isolated point yesterday.
Israel's vulnerability prompted critics to ask whether the nation's leaders could cope with far more serious challenges, like rocket attacks from Iranian-backed militants or a nuclear-armed Iran.
Much of the backlash is aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Interior Minister Eli Yishai, whose office oversees fire services.
Officials are awaiting the release in the next few days of a state comptroller's report on the condition of the firefighting services. The same comptroller, Micha Lindenstrauss, issued a critical report of Israel's firefighting abilities after the 2006 Lebanon war.
However, the fire has also generated much pride in the bravery of those like Tomer and a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter who died trying to rescue those on the bus.
Two teenage brothers are being held on suspicion that they inadvertently set the fire. Two other minors were being questioned on suspicion of involvement in the fire, police said.
Deputy Commander Ahuva Tomer, head of the police department in Haifa, had been driving behind a bus of prison guards rushing to evacuate a prison on Thursday when both vehicles were engulfed in flames.
Her death raised to 42 the number of people who died in the wildfire, that consumed a 50-square-kilometer area in the Carmel forest, on Haifa's outskirts. The fire was brought under control late Sunday, and further weakened yesterday after overnight rains.
The 52-year-old policewoman became a symbol of courage and devotion to duty after a TV reporter interviewed her just minutes before she set out on what became her last mission. She spoke of the pain of seeing the forest burn and nodding ruefully, added, "It looks like it will last a long time."
Minutes afterward, Israeli media reported, a desperate Tomer radioed police to say she was on fire.
The blaze that killed Tomer has led to much soul-searching in Israel about the state of the country's leadership, as officials had long warned that the ?neglected state of Israel's firefighting operations was a recipe for disaster.
Hours after the blaze broke out on Thursday, firefighters ran out of firefighting chemicals. They also did not have a single firefighting plane.
Israel was forced to scramble to respond, appealing to other countries to send planes and material to put out the blaze, which had been reduced to one isolated point yesterday.
Israel's vulnerability prompted critics to ask whether the nation's leaders could cope with far more serious challenges, like rocket attacks from Iranian-backed militants or a nuclear-armed Iran.
Much of the backlash is aimed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Interior Minister Eli Yishai, whose office oversees fire services.
Officials are awaiting the release in the next few days of a state comptroller's report on the condition of the firefighting services. The same comptroller, Micha Lindenstrauss, issued a critical report of Israel's firefighting abilities after the 2006 Lebanon war.
However, the fire has also generated much pride in the bravery of those like Tomer and a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter who died trying to rescue those on the bus.
Two teenage brothers are being held on suspicion that they inadvertently set the fire. Two other minors were being questioned on suspicion of involvement in the fire, police said.
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