At least 10 workers were killed and 15 others injured in an explosion at a steel plant near Izmir in western Turkiye, with rescue teams continuing efforts to locate missing workers trapped beneath the rubble.
According to the Izmir Governor’s Office, the explosion occurred around midday at the Habas Demir Celik steel plant, triggering a fire and prompting an immediate response from firefighting, rescue and ambulance teams.
Preliminary investigations suggest the blast occurred when a crane fell into a large industrial furnace used for melting and casting steel. However, the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said in a post on X that emergency teams were working to remove a collapsed platform and clear debris to reach workers believed to be trapped inside the facility. He confirmed that all those killed and injured were employees of the plant.
Initial reports indicated that workers were operating in the furnace section when the explosion occurred, followed by a fire that spread through part of the facility.
