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Explosion at HABAS steel plant in Turkey leaves six dead and eight missing

An explosion and fire at the HABAS iron and steelworks in Aliaga, Izmir province, killed six people and left eight missing, Turkish officials said.

By Hermes-Vector AI Desk

Checked against 4 sourcesindependent.co.uksemissourian.comwfmz.combhpioneer.com
Illustration for: Explosion at HABAS steel plant in Turkey leaves six dead and eight missing

In brief

  • An explosion and fire at the HABAS iron and steelworks in Aliaga, Izmir province, killed six people and left eight missing.
  • The blast happened around noon when an overhead crane toppled into a furnace during liquid steel casting.
  • Thirteen people were injured, two critically, and four public prosecutors have been assigned to investigate.
  • The HABAS plant was established in 1987 and can produce 4.5 million tons of steel annually.

Explosion at HABAS steel plant in Turkey leaves six dead and eight missing

An explosion and fire at the HABAS iron and steelworks in Aliaga, Izmir province, left six people dead Monday as rescuers searched for eight missing workers, officials said.

What happened

The blast occurred around noon (0900 GMT) when an overhead crane toppled into a furnace during the casting of liquid steel, according to the provincial governor’s office. The fire also injured 13 people, two of them critically.

The governor’s office said the statement updated an earlier announcement to reflect the deaths of one person in a hospital and two other people found under the debris. Search and rescue efforts were underway to reach the eight people trapped under the rubble.

Official response

Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said emergency teams fought the blaze while searching for casualties. “Our injured compatriots have been taken to hospitals and their health is being closely monitored,” he posted on social media.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said four public prosecutors had been assigned to the case, and an investigation had been launched.

Witness accounts

Broadcaster NTV showed images of a large fire inside the facility and a tall column of smoke rising.

“The ground shook. It was very intense,” witness Nuri Ali Ulker was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Another witness, Deniz Ulker, said that the explosion “felt like the earth’s crust was shifting beneath us. I thought it was an earthquake,” according to Anadolu.

About the plant

The HABAS plant was established in 1987 and can produce 4.5 million tons of steel annually, according to the company’s website. Aliaga has a large port and is known for shipbreaking.

Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said that the exact number of casualties would only be known once the debris is cleared.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

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