Three Bedouin siblings died after being evacuated to the Soroka-University Medical Center in critical condition on Thursday after inhaling smoke in a fire that broke out at their home in the town of Hura in southern Israel.
The children, four-year-old Lila, three-year-old Khaled and one-year-old Avrar Mohammad Au Sabbith, were initially evacuated to a clinic in Hura by their parents.
Magen David Adom paramedics who were rushed to the scene attempted to administer life-saving treatment before evacuating the three unconscious children to the hospital, where doctors pronounced their deaths.
The Southern District of the Fire and Rescue Service and the Israel Police have opened an investigation into the incident.
Initial findings have indicated that the children were playing with fire in some capacity – possibly with a heating device at home – which led to the tragedy.
The mother of the three deceased children told KAN that they were trapped inside the house for 10 minutes before someone was able to rescue them.
Orly Silvinger, director of B’Terem, an organization that promotes children’s safety, stressed the importance of choosing the right heating devices at home, which can prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
“Especially in these cold days, it’s important to understand that the safest heating devices to use are those that don’t include gas or exposed fire,” Silvinger said. “Air conditioners and radiators are the safest heating devices. It is especially important to choose safe heating options because children are more vulnerable than adults.”