Fireball on bus kills 40 as Israel battles inferno

AROUND 40 people died yesterday when a bus burst into flames as it raced to an Israeli prison during a massive forest fire. The victims were mainly prison guards participating in the rescue mission, officials said. It was one of the deadliest accidents in the nation’s history.

Fire officials said the blaze, which torched some 800 acres (325 hectares), remained out of control as nightfall arrived.

“This is a disaster of unprecedented proportions,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.