At least 16 people were killed and 13 injured in an explosion at the Habas iron and steel plant in Aliağa, Turkey, when an overhead crane fell into an electric arc furnace during casting operations.
An explosion at the Habas iron and steel plant in Aliağa, western Turkey, killed at least 16 people on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said.
Another 13 workers were injured, two seriously, according to the president’s statement from Ankara. Rescue teams spent the day searching rubble after the blast, which occurred when an overhead crane broke and fell into an electric arc furnace during liquid steel casting.
Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban and the governor’s office confirmed the sequence: the crane failure during operations around noon local time triggered the explosion and subsequent fire. Habas is one of Turkey’s major steel producers with facilities in the industrial Aliağa zone.
Erdoğan’s announcement of the 16 deaths and 13 injuries matches the final tally reported by official channels and major outlets including dpa and Anadolu. Earlier counts rose as bodies were recovered from debris; no independent contradiction has emerged on the cause or numbers.
The blast has drawn attention to workplace safety at the plant and in Aliağa’s heavy industry, where previous fatal incidents have been recorded. An investigation is underway, with prosecutors assigned. The next development will be the completion of the search and any preliminary findings from the inquiry.
People Sentiments Public Mood: Negative
- Erdoğan: 16 dead, 13 injured
- Elban: crane fell into furnace
- Tugay: exact numbers after rubble cleared