Steel plant explosion in Izmir kills at least 16 workers, probe launched

At least 16 people have died in an explosion at a steel plant in Aliağa, a port town in Türkiye's western Izmir province. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the toll, and it could still rise.

What happened?

The blast happened late on Monday morning at a plant run by the Habas group, about 60 kilometres north of the city of Izmir. According to the Izmir governor's office, an overhead crane broke off and fell into an industrial furnace during casting.

The explosion also started a fire. Eyewitnesses told the state news agency Anadolu about a loud blast, a huge cloud of smoke and flames rising from the factory. Video showed fire above a large hall and dust spreading.

Erdoğan said 13 workers were injured, two of them seriously. It was unclear whether more people were still under the rubble. Rescue teams searched for trapped workers all day. Earlier reports on Monday spoke of 10 dead and four missing.

Why is everyone talking about it?

Because many people say this was not a surprise. Unions say the plant has had safety problems for a long time. The newspaper Evrensel reports that at least 11 workers died at the factory over the past ten years. Cumhuriyet reports that a 20-year-old worker died at a subcontractor of the operator in early November.

The opposition DEM Party demanded that the causes and "any negligence and any failures of oversight" be made fully transparent. Habas did not comment when asked by the news agency AFP.

The wider picture is grim. The independent workers' health and safety council ISIG counted around 2,100 fatal workplace accidents in Türkiye last year. Iron and steel is one of the industries with above-average risk.

What's next?

An investigation is under way. Erdoğan said it will also look at whether negligence played a role. Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay wrote on X that the exact numbers of dead and injured will only be clear once the debris has been cleared.