TURKEY – Fatal explosion at Turkish steelworks claims 16 lives and injures 13

An explosion at an iron and steel manufacturing facility in western Turkey has killed 16 people and injured a further 13, following a major fire at the industrial complex.

The incident took place at the HABAS steelworks in Aliaga, Izmir province, on Monday, with two of the injured reported to be in critical condition. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the casualty figures during a televised address, describing the incident as a tragedy that had deeply affected the country.

Emergency services were dispatched to the facility following the blast, with firefighting crews working to bring the resulting blaze under control while search teams looked for casualties. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed that those injured had been transferred to hospital and were receiving medical attention.

The force of the explosion was evident in footage broadcast shortly afterwards by Turkish television network NTV, which showed a significant fire within the facility and a large column of smoke rising above the site. Witnesses described the blast as powerful enough to shake the surrounding ground, with one comparing the experience to an earthquake.

Initial accounts from local authorities suggest the explosion may have been linked to maintenance work involving a boiler replacement. Izmir Provincial Governor Suleyman Elban said a crane reportedly fell into a furnace, triggering an explosion at a nearby steel mill.

Production at the facility had been temporarily suspended to allow the boiler replacement work to take place. Consequently, approximately 200 workers were present in the vicinity, compared with the site’s usual workforce of around 300.

The circumstances surrounding the disaster are now the subject of judicial and administrative investigations. President Erdogan confirmed that authorities would examine the sequence of events, establish whether negligence played a role and determine responsibility. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced that four public prosecutors had been assigned to the case, while the private Demiroren News Agency reported that five people had been detained in connection with the explosion.

Aliaga, where the incident occurred, is an important industrial and maritime centre in western Turkey. The area is particularly well known for its shipbreaking activities, which have attracted criticism over their environmental impact. Concerns surrounding the sector have previously prompted calls for its shipbreaking yard to be removed from the European Union’s list of approved ship recycling facilities.

The explosion comes as international leaders and environmental campaigners meet in Antalya, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, for discussions on tackling climate change.

Founded in 1987, HABAS operates one of Turkey’s major steel production facilities, with a reported annual manufacturing capacity of 4.5 million tonnes, according to the company’s website.

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