Turkey: 17 killed, 12 injured in steel factory blast
What's the story
A devastating explosion at an iron and steel factory in Turkey's Izmir province has killed at least 17 workers and injured 12 others. The incident took place around noon on Monday at the Habas Demir Celik plant in Aliaga district. Eyewitnesses reported a powerful blast that shook the ground, with one person mistaking it for an earthquake, media reports stated.
Incident details
Details of the incident
The explosion occurred during scheduled maintenance work when an overhead crane collapsed into an electric arc furnace.
The Habas plant is one of Turkey's leading steel producers and is located in Aliaga, a major port district of Izmir.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as apocalyptic, with thick smoke and flames engulfing the factory.
Twitter Post
Visuals of explosion
BREAKING: This could be the start of a series of mysterious explosions at steel factories in Turkey that supply the country’s arms manufacturers.
— Babak Taghvaee - The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) November 9, 2026
A powerful explosion triggered a fire at the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in İzmir’s Aliağa district. The blast occurred in the… pic.twitter.com/Jkt89uh8HM
Presidential response
Investigation launched
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed the deaths and injuries after a cabinet meeting. He said investigations were underway to determine how and why the incident happened.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu updated the death toll to 17 after one critically injured worker succumbed to his injuries.
The injured workers have been rushed to hospitals across the region for treatment.
Ongoing investigations
Five arrests made
At least five people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Initial findings suggest that a crane carrying a replacement boiler collapsed, causing materials to fall into an electric arc furnace below.
The Izmir governor's office confirmed that the ceiling crane snapped during the liquid steel casting process.
Search and rescue operations are still ongoing as some workers are feared to be trapped under rubble.