Two workers have been confirmed dead and a third is in serious condition following an explosion at Intel’s Kiryat Gat semiconductor facility in southern Israel on Wednesday. The incident has raised immediate questions about safety protocols at the site, though police have not yet identified a definitive cause for the blast.
According to The Times of Israel, the explosion occurred during a material transfer operation. The Kiryat Gat police commander described the sequence of events, noting that the blast happened after one delivery truck disconnected and another was connecting to the factory’s storage tanks. At least eight teams from Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services, including hazardous materials units, responded to the scene to search for trapped individuals and contain the fire.
Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services stated that the fire involved nitrogen trifluoride, a toxic gas primarily used to clean the process chambers of chipmaking tools. While the gas is hazardous if inhaled, it is not flammable. It remains unclear whether the trucks were delivering the gas or if the substance was directly involved in causing the explosion. Police suspect a gas cylinder malfunction was the root cause.
Investigation into Gas Cylinder Malfunction
Police Commander of Kiryat Gat, speaking at the scene, stated that there were no immediate signs of criminal activity or negligence. “At this moment, I cannot point to any suspicion of criminal activity or negligence,” the commander said. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to determine exactly how the cylinder failed.
Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical service, reported that two of the injured workers underwent resuscitation efforts. All three victims suffered severe burns. One of the injured was pronounced dead at the scene, a second later died from their wounds, and a third remains hospitalized in serious condition at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.
Once the fire was extinguished, crews continued to cool the area to prevent secondary incidents. The police commander confirmed that the situation was under control with no further leaks detected. There was no need to evacuate residents or factory workers, although Kiryat Gat Mayor Kfir Suissa advised the public to stay away from the area while emergency crews worked. “There is no danger to the public,” Suissa told residents.
Impact on Intel 7 Production Capacity
The Kiryat Gat site houses Fab 28, which Intel states produces processors, 5G components, and AI products using the Intel 7 process node, formerly known as 10nm Enhanced SuperFin. This node is critical for several key product lines, including 13th and 14th Gen Core “Raptor Lake” desktop processors, 5th Gen Xeon “Emerald Rapids” server chips, and the I/O die for Xeon 6 “Granite Rapids.”
Intel has not yet issued a statement regarding the victims or the potential impact on production at the facility. However, the timing of the explosion is significant for the company’s supply chain. Intel 7 capacity has been tight, with the company’s CFO previously noting that constraints at Intel 7 and Intel 10 nodes limited the ability to meet demand. Shortages are expected to persist into 2026, with server wafers receiving priority allocation.
Any disruption to Fab 28 could exacerbate these existing supply constraints. The adjacent Fab 38, announced in December 2023 with a $3.25 billion grant from the Israeli government, has been paused since mid-2024. Reports indicated that Intel considered closing Fab 28 in July 2025, but no official closure decision has been made.
Intel is scheduled to report third-quarter financial results on October 29. The company will hold a conference call to discuss its performance, though it has not indicated whether it will address the explosion during the event. As of now, the full extent of the production impact remains unknown.
Source: Tom’s Hardware
