Israeli and American authorities were today investigating a fire early yesterday on an American military plane at Lydda Airport which damaged the interior of the plane but injured no one. It is believed that the blaze was started by a lighted cigarette left behind by a crew member.
The plane, a Dakota, is assigned to the American military air attached in Israel. The plane returned to Lydda Friday from a regular flight to the island of Cyprus. In the early hours of Saturday a member of the plane’s regular crew was seen entering the plane. Somewhat later he left the field and a short time afterwards the fire was discovered. The airport’s fire brigade brought the blaze under control before it could damage the engines or wings.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
