JERUSALEM, Dec 2 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - A massive forest fire in northern Israel killed at least 40 people on Thursday, with many others injured, the Israeli rescue service said.
Israeli media said most or all of those who died had been aboard a bus that was trying to evacuate people from the blaze in the Carmel Forest, near the city of Haifa.
Some reports said the bus had been carrying inmates from a nearby prison where Palestinian detainees are kept. Another report suggested prison guards or a rescue team might have been in the vehicle.
"A bus was caught in the area where the fire was taking place and a number of people were killed," said Micky Rosenfeld, a spokesman for Israeli police.
Israel Radio said the bus went up in flames, while Channel 2 television said the bus may have overturned on the hilly terrain as it tried to flee the fire.
"It's the most difficult incident," said Eli Bein, director of the Magen David Adom paramedic service.
Dozens more people were injured in the fire and police ordered hundreds of residents out of their homes as helicopters joined fire trucks in trying to douse the blaze.
Firefighters said homes as well as trees and underbrush had all gone up in flames.
It was not immediately clear what started the huge fire, that lit up the sky for miles around.
Israel has experienced unseasonably hot weather for months and it was the driest November in 60 years.
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