16 Dead, 13 Injured in Massive Explosion at Steel Plant in Western Turkiye

A massive explosion followed by a fire at an iron and steel plant in western Turkiye killed 16 people and injured 13 others on Monday, triggering an emergency rescue operation and a government investigation into the cause of the disaster.

The blast occurred at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, in the Izmir province, around noon local time. Two of the injured workers are in critical condition, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised address following a Cabinet meeting.

According to Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban, the explosion occurred when a crane fell into a furnace while workers were replacing a boiler. The incident triggered an explosion at a nearby steel mill, followed by a major fire.

Around 200 workers were in the vicinity at the time of the accident, fewer than the usual 300, as production had been temporarily suspended for the boiler replacement work.

Television footage showed flames engulfing parts of the facility, with a towering column of thick smoke rising above the industrial complex. Witnesses described the explosion as so powerful that the ground shook, with some initially mistaking it for an earthquake.

Emergency response teams rushed to the site to battle the blaze and search for casualties. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, while authorities said their condition was being closely monitored.

President Erdogan said both judicial and administrative investigations had been launched to establish the exact circumstances behind the explosion and determine whether negligence was involved.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said four public prosecutors had been assigned to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, five people were detained in connection with the explosion, according to local media reports.

The accident occurred as world leaders and environmental activists gathered in Antalya, on Turkiye's Mediterranean coast, for discussions on tackling climate change.

Established in 1987, the HABAS plant has an annual steel production capacity of 4.5 million tonnes, according to the company's website.