Fatal explosion hits Habas steel plant in Aliaga

An explosion during maintenance work at Habas steel plant in Aliaga, Izmir, has killed 17 workers and injured several others, Turkish officials said.

The incident occurred during planned maintenance work on one of the plant's electric arc furnaces. According to initial assessments, an overhead crane collapsed while lifting equipment during a boiler replacement operation, causing heavy materials to fall into the furnace.

Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban said the falling materials also struck a natural gas line, contributing to the explosion. Steel production was not taking place at the time of the incident, according to the governor.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the collapse triggered a powerful initial explosion, followed by a secondary blast and fire after the natural gas line was damaged. The exact sequence of events and cause of the accident remain under investigation.

Habas said the accident occurred during planned maintenance and that it was working with relevant authorities to determine the cause of the incident.

Turkish President Erdogan said the circumstances surrounding the accident, including whether negligence was involved and who may be responsible, would be investigated. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Founded in 1956, Habas is one of Turkey's major industrial groups and operates an integrated steel plant with an annual capacity of 4.5 mln tons, producing billets, rebar, wire rod and HRC.