When I looked at the opposite factory, black smoke was rising,
an eyewitness told nova.bg following a deadly industrial disaster in western Turkey.
An explosion at a steel and iron manufacturing facility near the town of Aliağa in İzmir Province killed 16 people and injured 13 others, according to figures reported by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The blast occurred around midday, triggering an intense fire that emergency crews later managed to extinguish. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the death toll and injury figures, as reported by TRT Haber and cited by BTA.
Rescue and search operations continued at the disaster site as emergency teams combed through the debris. Nova.bg reported that initial regional estimates indicated 8 workers remained trapped underground, while BNT News noted that search efforts targeted 10 missing individuals beneath the rubble.
President Erdoğan received detailed briefings on the disaster from Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, according to BTA.
Justice Minister Akün Gürlek stated that the prosecutor’s office in Menemen, a town near İzmir, launched an immediate judicial investigation into the incident, as reported by nova.bg. Four separate prosecutors were assigned to probe the exact causes of the blast, according to Focus News.
ÖLÜ SAYISI ARTIYOR! İzmir'in Aliağa ilçesinde HABAŞ'a ait tesiste patlama meydana geldi. İzmir Valiliği patlamada 6 işçinin hayatını kaybettiğini, 13 işçinin yaralandığını açıkladı. Valilik, 8 işçinin ise göçük altında olduğunu duyurdu. İlk belirlemelere göre, patlamanın sıvı… pic.twitter.com/Lf0EBkLZPC
Preliminary assessments by competent authorities suggest the catastrophe occurred during a liquid steel pouring operation. According to findings reported by nova.bg, a bridge crane snapped and plunged directly into an electric arc furnace, triggering the massive detonation. The plant operator announced that it is cooperating fully with government bodies to determine the exact sequence of events.
Injured workers were rushed to various regional hospitals for emergency treatment following the noon explosion. BTA reported that 13 people sustained injuries in the blast, with two victims remaining in critical condition. Medical personnel across İzmir province mobilized surgical and trauma teams to handle the sudden influx of casualties from the Aliağa industrial zone.