Burned Israeli officer dies

Israel's top policewoman, who clung to life for four days after her patrol car was trapped in a burning Israel forest, died yesterday.

Deputy Commander Ahuva Tomer, 52, police chief in Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, was driving behind a bus of prison guards rushing to evacuate a prison last week when both vehicles were engulfed in flames.

Her death took to 42 the number of people who died in the fire.

Officials last night said the blaze had been extinguished after rainfall aided firefighters' efforts.