Six people were killed and 13 were injured in an explosion at an iron and steel plant near the Turkish city of Izmir. Eight workers were reported missing and were being searched for under the rubble, the Izmir Governor’s Office said.
The incident occurred at around 12:00 local time at a HABAŞ Demir Çelik facility in the Aliağa district. A fire broke out after the explosion, and firefighters, medical teams, police officers and rescuers were sent to the plant.
The governor’s office said that one of the critically injured people had died in hospital, while two other victims had been found under the rubble. This brought the death toll to six. Two of the injured are in serious condition.
Preliminary theory about the cause
According to the authorities’ preliminary assessment, the explosion occurred during an operation involving the casting of molten steel. One theory being considered is that an overhead crane broke loose and fell into the electric arc furnace. This theory has not yet been conclusively confirmed.
Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said that all relevant agencies were working in coordination at the scene. “Search, rescue, firefighting and emergency operations are continuing without interruption,” he said.
Rescue teams continued searching the area for the eight workers for whom there was no confirmed information. The authorities launched an investigation to establish the causes of the explosion and determine responsibility for any breaches of safety rules, should such violations be identified.
Sources: apnews.com, dha.com.tr, aa.com.tr