Izmir Steelworks: Blast Kills 16 During Maintenance

At least 16 workers died in an explosion at the Habas iron and steel factory in Izmir, Turkey, on Monday. Thirteen additional employees were injured in the incident. Authorities confirmed that all casualties were on-site staff at the facility, which serves as a major producer of steel in the country.

Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban stated that the disaster occurred around midday. A crane transporting a replacement boiler collapsed, sending materials crashing into an electric arc furnace below. The company noted in a statement that the accident took place during scheduled maintenance work. Eyewitnesses described the force of the blast as shaking the ground, leading some nearby residents to believe an earthquake had struck.

Footage from the scene captured a large fire burning inside the facility and a dense column of smoke rising into the sky. Elban told media outlets that some individuals are believed to remain trapped under the rubble. Search and rescue teams continued their efforts to locate missing personnel. He also reported that two of the injured workers were in serious condition.

Following a cabinet meeting, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the death toll. He announced that investigations were underway to determine the specific cause of the failure. Local media reports indicate that at least five people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The Habas plant is located in the Aliaga district of Izmir. This area functions as a major port and is one of Turkey's primary centers for shipbreaking. The Turkish Health and Safety Labor Watch, an independent civil society organization, noted that workplace accidents remain a persistent issue in the nation's industrial sector.