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Explosion at steel plant in Turkey kills 16, president says
Officials said the blast began when a crane fell into a furnace during steel casting, and investigators are examining possible negligence.
- On Monday, November 9, 2026, an overhead crane toppled into a furnace at the HABAŞ iron and steel plant in Aliağa, İzmir, sparking a massive explosion and fire that killed 6 workers and left 8 missing.
- The incident occurred around midday when a ceiling crane snapped during liquid steel casting and fell into an arc furnace. Established in 1987, the HABAŞ facility produces 4.5 million tons of steel annually, underscoring the scale of industrial operations at the site.
- Emergency teams continue removing debris to reach trapped workers. Witness Nuri Ali Ulker described the blast as "very intense," saying "I thought it was an earthquake" as the ground shook from the explosion's force.
- Justice Minister Akin Gurlek assigned 4 public prosecutors to investigate the incident. Union spokesperson Oktay Turk condemned the disaster as a "massacre," demanding justice and calling for accountability for those responsible.
- The tragedy follows two other recent worker deaths at the HABAŞ site, intensifying safety concerns. Nationally, at least 1,736 workers died in Turkey during the first 9 months of 2026, reflecting systemic workplace risks across industries.
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285 Articles
285 Articles
ESTAMBUL (AP) — A huge explosion and fire in a steel plant in western Turkey killed 16 people on Monday, authorities said.
·Calhoun, United States
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Foreign Ministry says it was deeply saddened by incident that killed 16, injured 13
·Ankara, Türkiye
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In a steel plant in Aliaga in the Turkish province of Izmir, a ceiling crane broke down and fell into an industrial furnace during the casting process. 16 people died, the number of deaths could increase.
·Hamburg, Germany
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Total News Sources285
Leaning Left34Leaning Right38Center29Last UpdatedBias Distribution37% Right
Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources lean Right
37% Right
L 34%
C 29%
R 37%
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