Fire in Sderot: Control Not Yet Achieved, Major Routes Blocked

Following reports received today (Monday) regarding the fire incident in the industrial zone of Sderot, the police announced the closure of traffic routes adjacent to the area, alongside a call to citizens not to arrive at the scene. The routes that have been closed are: Highway 232 from east to west and the entrance to the city of Sderot from Highway 34 in both directions. In addition, Israel Railways announced that the Sderot station has temporarily ceased operations and will not be boarding or disembarking passengers. Train traffic at the rest of the Western Negev and southern stations is operating as usual, and further updates will be provided to the public later.

The police statement also noted that a situation assessment is being held under the command of the Be'er Sheva station commander with the participation of all emergency and rescue services. The assessment focuses on managing the incident, coordinating the actions of the forces, and monitoring the current situation. So far, no casualties have been reported.

As previously reported, a fire broke out in two locations in the "Sha'ar HaNegev" industrial zone in Sderot, at the Strauss and Tapugan factory complexes. Numerous fire and rescue forces were summoned to the scene, and those present in the complex were evacuated. Initially, there was a fear of an ammonia leak, but it was later ruled out. Residents of the Music neighborhood were asked to stay in their homes and close windows until the threat was removed, while firefighters worked to contain the spread of the flames.