A Türkiye steel plant explosion at the HABAS iron and steelworks in Aliaga, in the western province of Izmir, killed 10 people on Monday and left four workers missing, as rescue teams searched through the wreckage for survivors.
The blast, followed by a large fire, struck the plant at around noon local time (0900 GMT). Fifteen people were injured, two of them critically, Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban said in a televised update on the casualties.
FAKTA
- What happened: An explosion and fire at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Türkiye, on Monday, 9 November 2026.
- Casualties: 10 people killed, four missing and believed trapped under the wreckage, and 15 injured, two of them critically.
- Time: Around noon local time (0900 GMT).
- Initial cause: An overhead crane snapped and fell into an arc furnace during the casting of liquid steel, according to initial findings from the governor’s office.
- Response: Search and rescue operations are continuing at the site, and an investigation has been launched, with four public prosecutors assigned to the case.
What Caused the Türkiye Steel Plant Explosion
According to initial findings from the Izmir governor’s office, the explosion occurred when a ceiling crane snapped and fell into an arc furnace during the liquid steel casting process. Footage broadcast by local television stations showed large plumes of grey dust rising above the plant, while broadcaster NTV showed images of a large fire inside the facility and a tall column of smoke rising into the sky.
The governor’s office said in an earlier statement that three people had been killed, 14 injured and 10 missing. The toll was later revised upward as rescue teams reached more of the damaged plant.
Inside the HABAS steel plant in Aliaga. Officials say an overhead crane fell into an arc furnace during liquid steel casting. (File photo)
Rescue Efforts Continue at the Plant
Search teams were still looking for four people believed to be under the wreckage, Governor Elban said, adding that the injured had been taken to hospitals across the region. Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said the exact number of casualties would only become clear once emergency teams had finished clearing the debris.
Witnesses described the force of the blast. “The ground shook. It was very intense,” Nuri Ali Ulker was quoted as saying by the state-run Anadolu news agency. Another witness, Deniz Ulker, said the explosion “felt like the earth’s crust was shifting beneath us. I thought it was an earthquake,” according to Anadolu.
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said emergency teams fought the blaze while searching for casualties. “Our injured compatriots have been taken to hospitals and their health is being closely monitored,” he posted on social media.
Investigation Launched
The governor’s office said an investigation had been launched into the cause of the blast, and Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said four public prosecutors had been assigned to the case.
The HABAS plant was established in 1987 and can produce 4.5 million tons of steel a year, according to the company’s website. Aliaga, on Türkiye’s Aegean coast, has a large port and is known for shipbreaking.
The disaster came as world leaders and environmental activists gathered in Antalya, on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, for talks on curbing climate change. For more international news, see the World news section on Watan News.
