Firefighters worked to douse the large fire at the structure around Porat, a village near the coastal city of Netanya, while evacuating residents and preventing the blaze from spreading to nearby homes.

A fire service spokesman called it "a very big fire, including explosions and fireworks being shot into the air".

Medics also took a 50-year-old man suffering burn wounds to hospital in serious condition, while at least one other person was less seriously hurt.

Authorities had initially spoken of seven injured.

Images distributed by police showed thick black smoke billowing, as fireworks exploded in the sky behind.

Police closed off the area and sent emergency units to the scene.