In brief
A massive blast at the HABAS plant in western Turkey killed 16 people, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as reported by Xinhua. The explosion, which occurred at around noon local time during planned maintenance of an electric arc furnace, sparked a fire that emergency crews later extinguished. Erdogan said officials are investigating the cause and any negligence.
A blast at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, western Turkey, has increased the death toll to 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Monday, as reported by Xinhua.
The explosion struck the plant at about 12:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) and was reported to have occurred during planned maintenance of an electric arc furnace, according to a statement from HABAS and the Izmir Governor's Office.
At a press conference, president Erdogan said the authorities were conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the blast and to identify those responsible for any negligence.
Emergency crews reportedly brought the fire sparked by the explosion under control after the blast caused severe structural damage to the plant.
Top government officials, including the Labor and Social Security Minister and the Energy and Natural Resources Minister, have arrived in Izmir to oversee operations at the site.