On Tuesday evening 12 Menachem Av it was reported that seven IDF soldiers were injured as a result of a bulldozer falling on and crushing a military jeep.

It is now reported that what occurred is at about 8:00PM, vehicles were heading to a parking area for the night after a day of operations in the Har Dov area when an armored personnel carrier (APC) lost its brakes or failed to brake for reasons that have yet to be determined. This occurred in proximity to the Gladiola border outpost. The armored vehicle picked up speed and crashed into the D9 bulldozer. As a result, an officer, non-commissioned officer and five soldiers from the 601st Battalion were injured. they were all inside the APC.

Two of the injured are listed in serious non-life-threatening condition. Three others are moderate and the remainder light. The evacuation of the injured from the area took about an hour, carried out under a heavy presence of military personnel and equipment due to the proximity to the border.

The soldiers were involved in ‘routine operations’ along the border as part of ongoing maintenance and improvements along the border by engineering personnel. The seriously injured were flown to the trauma unit of Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The less seriously injured were transported in MDA ambulances to Ziff Hospital in Tzfat. The injured at Ziff are moderate and light, treated for various factures and soft tissue injuries as well as injuries to internal organs.

Rambam Hospital Chief of Trauma Dr. Hani Bachus reported three victims of the accident arrived with two in serious condition and one listed as moderate. He stressed that while they have injuries all over their bodies, they are not in life-threatening condition.

It was first reported that seriously injured personnel were in critical condition but B’chasdei Hashem medical personnel were able to stabilize their condition before it deteriorated further.

The accident occurred a few hours after Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gadi Eizenkott visited Northern Command. Lieberman was briefed on the situation along the border and the challenges facing troops along the border with Syria and Hizbullah.

An investigation into the accident is underway.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)