Twelve people were killed and five injured after a huge explosion tore through an explosives plant in northwest Türkiye on Tuesday, according to officials.
Outside the facility, where ambulances were waiting, footage showed broken glass and metal.
According to preliminary indications, the explosion in the Karesi District of Balikesir Province claimed the lives of 12 employees and injured four more, according to local governor Ismail Ustaoglu.
He said, “I pray for God’s mercy on our fallen citizens and a quick recovery for our injured.”
Later, officials changed the number of injured to five and clarified that none of them were seriously hurt.
They said that the fire had been extinguished and that no employees remained inside the factory.
Local officials reported that a portion of the plant fell due to the force of the explosion, which occurred at 8:25 am (05:25 GMT).
The cause of the explosion at the factory, which is situated far from residential areas, was not immediately discovered, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Credit: The Irish Times
He stated, “We are attempting to determine what caused it.”
While experts continued their investigation on the spot, local officials cited “technical reasons” without providing any details.
Prosecutors have begun a comprehensive inquiry, and authorities have ruled out sabotage.
In a post on social media platform X, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his sadness for the deaths of 12 brothers.
He said he was briefed by all relevant institutions soon after the blast and instructed that “the necessary investigation be initiated immediately in all aspects.”.
He said that shortly after the explosion, he received a briefing from all pertinent organisations and was told to “initiate the necessary investigation immediately in all aspects.”
The facility, which is situated north of Balikesir, produces flares, explosives, and ammunition for both local and foreign markets.
A portion of the building was described by witnesses as “like a battlefield” by the local media.
It was time for the deceased to be taken to the mortuary.
In the event of a second explosion, security personnel took precautions by barring the public and media from the area.
Due in large part to Erdogan’s encouragement of the business, Türkiye has emerged as a major exporter of defence equipment, especially drones.
A fireworks factory explosion in northwest Türkiye in 2020 left seven people dead and 127 injured.
Five people were killed in a blast at a military explosives factory in 2023. Türkiye military ministry owned the factory, which is located around 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the country’s capital, Ankara.
