Turkey: Workers killed in Izmir steel plant blast

Developing story first seen 7 hours ago

DW · 7 hours ago

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the reported toll from an explosion and fire at a steel plant in Izmir to 16 workers killed and 13 injured. The updated figures came after a Cabinet meeting, as rescue efforts and an investigation followed the blast.

The explosion happened around noon at the HABAS plant in Aliaga, when an overhead crane toppled into a furnace during liquid steel casting, according to the governor’s office. Two of the injured workers were in serious condition; about 200 workers were present during a shift change, and four prosecutors were assigned to investigate. Opposition figures and a union leader criticised workplace safety, while an independent group reported 226 workplace deaths in Turkey in September.

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In short

Erdogan confirmed 16 deaths and 13 injuries after the Izmir plant blast.
The explosion occurred when a crane fell into a furnace.
Four prosecutors are investigating the incident.

How this story developed

4 hours ago An explosion and fire at the HABAS steel plant in Izmir, western Turkey, killed 16 workers and injured 13, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. The incident has prompted an investigation and renewed criticism over workplace safety.
4 hours ago President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the reported toll from an explosion and fire at a steel plant in Izmir to 16 workers killed and 13 injured. The updated figures came after a Cabinet meeting, as rescue efforts and an investigation followed the blast.

Explained simply

Izmir is a major city in western Turkey, and Aliaga, where the plant is located, is an industrial district on its coast. HABAS is a Turkish steel producer; steelmaking involves handling extremely hot molten metal, so equipment failures can put workers at serious risk.

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leads the government, while local officials and prosecutors handle emergency response and investigate possible causes. Unions represent workers, and opposition politicians scrutinise the government’s record. The incident has drawn attention to workplace safety in Turkey, where industrial accidents and wider workplace deaths are regularly reported.