A massive explosion at the HABAS iron and steel plant in the Aliaga district of Izmir killed three workers, injured 14, and left 10 trapped under debris, Turkish authorities said on Monday.
The blast, reported to have occurred around 12:00 p.m. local time, was caused when a ceiling crane snapped and plunged into an arc furnace during a liquid steel casting operation, the Izmir Governor's Office said in a statement sourced by Xinhua.
According to the same statement, 14 others were injured, three of whom are in critical condition, and they have been taken to hospitals for treatment.
Search and rescue teams are working continuously to reach the 10 workers trapped under the collapsed structures, officials said.
Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci posted on social media that all relevant state units were rapidly deployed to the scene and are coordinating uninterrupted search, rescue, and firefighting operations, noting that a comprehensive investigation has been launched into the incident.
The Peterborough Examiner echoed the injury toll, reporting that 14 people were injured and three were critically wounded, as stated by the provincial governor's office.
