An explosion at a Turkish steel factory has killed 16 people and injured dozens more, while authorities have arrested five individuals responsible for the incident.
Foreign news agencies reported that an explosion occurred at the Habas steel and steel products factory near the port city of Izmir in western Turkey, causing a major fire inside the plant. At least 16 people have died and 13 others were injured.
Suleyman Elban, governor of Izmir province, stated that the explosion happened around noon after a crane carrying a boiler collapsed, causing materials and equipment to fall into the furnace below.
Habas company announced that the accident occurred during scheduled maintenance of one of the electric furnaces at the factory.
Witnesses said the blast caused the ground to shake violently, initially leading people to believe an earthquake had occurred.
The Turkish Occupational Safety and Health Watchdog, an independent civil society organization, noted that workplace accidents remain a chronic problem in the country.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the death toll and said after a cabinet meeting on Monday that an investigation into the cause is underway, while search and rescue operations continue. He added that two injured individuals are in critical condition.
Meanwhile, BBC Turkish reported, citing local media, that at least five people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
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Source:BBC