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Explosion at steel plant in Turkey kills 16, president says
Officials said a crane fell into a furnace during liquid steel casting, triggering a fire and leaving 10 workers trapped under the rubble.
- 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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Sixteen workers were killed and thirteen injured this Monday due to a heavy explosion and a subsequent fire at a steel plant in Aliaga, in western Turkey, according to the balance sheet of the government's victims, who announced that an investigation is under way into whether there was negligence.
·Barcelona, Spain
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The security conditions of the Turkish production site are criticized by a workers' collective and the left-wing political opposition, after a third fatal accident in three weeks, which occurred on Monday.
·Paris, France
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ledauphine.com+5 Reposted by 5 other sources
"The circumstances of this tragic incident will be established," said President Erdogan following the explosion, killing 16 people and wounding 13 people, including two serious ones.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources235
Leaning Left28Leaning Right31Center18Last UpdatedBias Distribution40% Right
Bias Distribution
- 40% of the sources lean Right
40% Right
L 36%
C 24%
R 40%
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