Death Toll Rises to 17 Following Explosion at Turkish Steel Plant

The death toll from a massive explosion at a major steel factory in western Turkey has risen to 17, according to government officials. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu confirmed that one of the workers, who was initially in critical condition, passed away in the hospital. This update follows the earlier report of 16 deaths and 13 injuries caused by the accident at the Habas Demir Celik plant in the port city of Aliaga.

According to the local governor, Süleyman Elban, the explosion occurred around midday during scheduled maintenance work on an electric arc furnace. Reports from the governor’s office and other officials indicate that an overhead crane carrying a heavy replacement boiler collapsed, causing materials to fall into the furnace below. At the time of the accident, the factory was in the middle of a shift change, meaning fewer people were on-site than during normal production hours. Approximately 200 workers were present when the blast took place.

Eyewitnesses described the moment of the explosion as terrifying. Some people in the surrounding area reported that the ground shook so violently they initially believed an earthquake had struck the region. Following the blast, a large fire broke out, and a thick column of smoke was seen rising into the air. While the local mayor, Cemil Tugay, confirmed that the fire has since been put out, search and rescue teams remain at the site to clear the debris. Officials have expressed concerns that the final death toll could still rise as teams search for people who may be trapped under the rubble.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the incident after a cabinet meeting, confirming that investigations are currently underway. The Ministry of Justice has assigned four public prosecutors to handle the case, and BBC News reports that at least five people have been arrested in connection with the disaster. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci stated that the injured workers are being closely monitored in local hospitals.

This tragedy has brought renewed attention to the issue of workplace safety in Turkey. The Turkish Health and Safety Labor Watch, an independent organization that tracks industrial accidents, noted that workplace deaths remain a chronic problem in the country. To provide context, the organization highlighted that there were 226 workplace deaths reported across Turkey in September alone. They noted that this figure is roughly two-thirds of the total number of workplace deaths recorded in Germany—a country with a similar population size—during the entire year of 2025.

Opposition groups have reacted strongly to the news. The leftist opposition party, TIP, described the event as "workplace homicide," arguing that the government and factory owners do not take safety regulations seriously enough. TIP leader Erkan Bas stated that the current system prioritizes profit over the lives of workers, while union leader Basaran Aksu called for the resignation of the minister of labor. These voices argue that the disaster was not an isolated incident but a result of a system that fails to protect its employees.

The Habas plant is one of Turkey’s leading steel producers and serves as a major hub for the shipbreaking industry. Established in 1987, the facility is capable of producing 4.5 million tons of steel annually. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on how such a significant failure in safety equipment could occur at such a large and established facility. For now, the families of the victims and the local community are waiting for more information as the search for survivors slowly concludes.