In brief
The death toll from a massive blast at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, western Turkey, has risen to 16 following an explosion that occurred at around noon local time during planned maintenance of an electric arc furnace. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the increase in a press conference and said an investigation is underway. Firefighters extinguished a fire sparked by the blast, and top officials have flown to Izmir to oversee operations.
A massive blast at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, western Turkey, killed 16 people, Xinhua reported Monday.
The explosion struck the factory at about 12:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) during planned maintenance on one of its electric arc furnaces, the plant’s statement said.
Firefighters were able to bring the fire that followed the blast under control, although the blast caused severe structural damage to the plant’s facilities.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the death‑toll increase at a press conference, saying an investigation is underway to determine the cause and any negligence involved.
Top officials, including the Labor and Social Security Minister and the Energy and Natural Resources Minister, have travelled to Izmir to oversee the situation and review operations at the site.
The death toll has risen to 16 since the incident, with emergency crews reporting that the blast and subsequent fire claimed the lives of workers on site.