Six dead in blast at steel factory near Turkiye’s Izmir: officials

Six people were killed and around a dozen injured on Monday (November 9, 2026) when an explosion ripped through an iron and steel factory near Turkiye western resort city of Izmir, the governor's office said. The governor's office initially gave a toll of three dead, 14 injured and 10 trapped under the rubble, but gave an update saying one of the injured had died along with two of those pulled from the rubble, raising the toll to six.

The massive blast took place around midday (0900 GMT) at the Habas Demir Celik factory in Aliaga, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Izmir, with officials saying it sparked a fire at the plant. The DHA news agency said initial findings suggested the blast occurred when an overhead crane collapsed into a large industrial furnace used during the liquid steel casting process.

Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay said rescue teams were "continuing their work to remove the collapsed platform" and that those affected were factory workers. "Unfortunately, we have received preliminary information indicating a large number of deaths and injuries among people working at the factory.

The exact number will become clear once the wreckage has been removed," he said in a post on X shortly before the toll was updated to six dead.