An enormous fire caught a forest in northern Israel on Thursday killing as many as 40 people, many of whom were prison guards trapped in a bus while trying to escape the flames, according to the security services.

The fire was raging out of control on the hills nearing the city of Haifa after more than seven hours it first started. Israel called for help from  Greece, Italy, Russia and Cyprus to send aircrafts to battle the blaze.

Local fire services from across the country responded by sending emergency crews while fire trucks desperately tried to reach the fire scene as they pass through heavy traffic as the night fell.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the forest fire was a disaster they had never seen before. They tried to deliver all forces of the state to handle this disaster and help rescue those who were injured and to put the fire to end.

Thousands of people were evacuated from their local towns and villages as the impenetrable flames rushed through the pine woodland.

A communal farm was burned to the ground and pictures of the bus and cars carrying prison guards, as well as rescuers were shown on television as they were engulfed by flames.

Police Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch described the incident as an enormous disaster that took about 40 people and many are still missing.

It was the biggest forest fire to take place in the country’s history, according to Israel media, with about 7,000 acres of land destroyed.

The 33 miners trapped for almost two months in an underground cave in Chile could be rescued earlier than expected after rescuers drill closer to their location according to Chile’s mining minister, Laurence Goldborne on Friday.

The miners have been trapped about 2,300 feet under the ground since the roof of the mine collapsed on August 5.

Several people around the world monitored every progress from the rescue operations as they fight for their survival. The incident had also drawn support from Pope Benedict, as well as the soccer players from the World Cup.

Originally, the Chilean government announced that the miners might not be rescued until November. But, because of the surge in drilling, they could be rescued durring the second half of October that is two weeks from now.

The drill had already reached a depth of 984 feet, which is halfway to its goal. It is advancing deeper into the ground at around 243 feet per day.

A metal cage designed by the Chilean navy will be used by the rescuers to get all men out one at a time. It is a 925-pound capsule and 21 inches wide, painted with the colors of the Chilean flag.

In preparation, the miners have started exercising for the trip back to the surface, the doctors said. The trapped men, which include a first-time miner, a Bolivian immigrant and former soccer star, have also started sending up the gifts that were sent to them through small channels over the past weeks.