At 12:00 p.m. local time on Monday, a massive explosion erupted at the HABAS iron and steel plant in the Aliaga district of Izmir, Turkey, killing three workers, injuring 14, and leaving 10 more trapped under collapsed debris.
Initial assessments indicate the blast was triggered when a ceiling crane snapped and fell into an arc furnace during a liquid steel casting process.
Of the 14 injured, three are reported in critical condition, while the others have been transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Search and rescue teams are working continuously to reach the 10 workers trapped beneath the collapsed structures, with rescue operations ongoing as of the latest statements.
Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci posted on social media that all relevant state units were rapidly deployed to the scene and are coordinating uninterrupted search, rescue, and firefighting operations.
A comprehensive investigation into the incident has been launched by Turkish authorities.
