Explosion at Turkish steel plant kills at least 16 people

What the report says

An explosion at the HABAS steel plant in Aliaga, north of Izmir in western Turkiye, killed at least 16 people and injured 13 others, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on AFP and Anadolu. The blast occurred on Monday at 11:46 a.m. local time at the factory, which is about 60 km north of Izmir on the Aegean coast. Emergency crews were working at the scene as authorities began assessing the damage.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said an investigation would be opened, and he reported that two of the injured were in serious condition. Izmir’s governor said the explosion followed the collapse of an overhead crane into a large industrial furnace while a boiler was being replaced. Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said the full toll would likely become clearer only after the rubble was cleared.

Witnesses described a powerful blast and heavy smoke rising from the plant. One eyewitness said it felt like an earthquake. Worker groups and local political groups also raised concerns about safety at the factory, saying it had a history of accidents, though those claims were presented as allegations rather than confirmed findings in the report.

The incident has drawn condolences from the European Union and Azerbaijan. It highlights ongoing concerns about industrial safety and oversight at major manufacturing sites in Turkiye, particularly when maintenance work is underway.