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At least 17 workers were killed and 12 others injured after a crane collapsed into an operational furnace at a steel plant in western Turkey on Monday (November 9), triggering a massive explosion and fire.
The accident occurred around noon at the Habaş Demir Çelik factory in the Aliağa district near the port city of İzmir, according to the BBC. All the victims were employees of the facility, one of Turkey’s leading steel manufacturers.
The explosion reportedly occurred when a crane carrying a new boiler collapsed during scheduled maintenance, sending the equipment and attached machinery into an electric arc furnace.
Footage from the scene showed flames engulfing parts of the facility, with thick clouds of smoke billowing into the sky. Witnesses described a powerful blast that shook the surrounding area, with some initially mistaking it for an earthquake.
İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban said emergency teams were conducting search and rescue operations amid fears that people could still be trapped beneath the debris.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan initially reported 16 deaths following a cabinet meeting. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu later confirmed that another critically injured worker had died in hospital, raising the toll to 17.
Erdoğan said a full investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the disaster. Local media reported that at least five people had been detained in connection with the incident.
The tragedy has once again highlighted concerns over workplace safety in Turkey’s industrial sector, where deadly factory accidents remain a persistent challenge.
Source : BBC