An explosion occurred at the carbon dioxide filling facility belonging to HABAŞ, which continues its production activities in the Aliağa district of Izmir, and President Erdoğan announced that 16 people lost their lives and 13 people were injured, 2 of them seriously, in the explosion that occurred at the iron and steel factory in the Aliağa district of Izmir.
A broadcast ban decision was also made regarding the explosion that took place in the iron and steel factory in Aliağa district of Izmir. In the decision taken by the Aliağa Criminal Judgeship of Peace upon the request of the Aliağa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was decided to ban all kinds of news, interviews, criticism and comments about the incident within the scope of the file until the investigation is completed.
On the other hand, it was learned that this explosion was not the first incident in HABAŞ's record.
According to the news reported by Sol Haber, HABAŞ is known for the occupational murders, explosions, anti-worker practices and trade it carries out with Israel in its facility in Aliağa, not only today but also for years.
WORK MURDERS
In an explosion at the factory in 2018, molten iron spilled onto workers. While five workers were injured in the incident that took place on July 26, one of the injured died on August 3. On August 30 of the same year, another explosion occurred at the factory. Veli Yılmaz, Ramazan Şen and Hüseyin Gül were seriously injured in the explosion in the liquid continuous casting machine.
On October 18, 2018, a worker named Hasan Bostancı died by falling from the dust collection chimney of the factory.
Workplace murders continued in 2020. Kadir Özdemir died on October 8, 2020, by falling from a height while replacing old sheets in the factory. In the compensation lawsuit filed by his family, the court found HABAŞ 70 percent primarily at fault.
On November 6 of the same year, crane operator Raif Çatan, working at HABAŞ Port, died by falling into the sea while loading the ship in the rough sea at night. Five defendants, including officials of YÜKSAN, the subcontractor company where Çatan worked, and port managers of HABAŞ, were sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison each for causing death by negligence in 2025. During the lawsuit, it was also brought to the agenda that the worker was employed without a life jacket.
Another worker who lost his life in 2020 was Şaban Karaca, when steel blocks fell on him.
On August 29, 2022, crane operator Oktay Eryılmaz, working at HABAŞ, died by falling from the crane. Workers pointed out that the factory employed an insufficient number of maintenance personnel and increased workload.
On January 11, 2024, 50-year-old Kemal Özdemir, who worked as a cleaning worker at HABAŞ Port, died when a metal coil fell on him while loading the ship. On May 7 of the same year, 4 workers were injured, one of them seriously, in the explosion that occurred in the steel furnace of HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory.
On September 28, 2025, in the explosion that occurred at HABAŞ's steel mill in Aliağa, 7 workers were injured, one of them seriously.
Two more workers lost their lives in October and November 2026.
It was reported that 55-year-old subcontracted worker Hakan Doğan died in October after falling from a height of approximately eight meters.
On November 5, 20-year-old Eyüp Eğinli, who worked for a subcontractor, was seriously injured in the explosion that occurred while air was being pumped into the tire of the work machine and died in the hospital where he was taken.
Thus, just four days before today's explosion, another worker at HABAŞ lost his life.
TRADE WITH ISRAEL
HABAŞ's history includes not only worker deaths and working conditions, but also commercial relations with Israel.
In the company's 2023 sustainability report, Israel is clearly included among the countries to which HABAŞ sells steel. Volza records, which compile international trade data, also include the company's export shipments to Israel.
After Türkiye announced that it had stopped direct trade with Israel in May 2024, allegations of indirect trade through Palestine came to the fore. Research has been published showing that some Turkish companies continue to deliver goods to Israel through exports to Palestine. The Ministry of Commerce argued that the products sent to Palestine were used by Palestine.
HABAŞ's steel exports to Israel are among the commercial activities of the company documented in its own report.
WHO IS MEHMET Rüştü BAŞARAN?
HABAŞ's iron and steel facilities in Aliağa started operating in 1987. Mehmet Rüştü Başaran, son of the company's founder Hamdi Başaran, took over the management of the group.
Today, HABAŞ Group operates in different fields such as energy, banking, LPG, port management, automotive, shipbuilding and natural gas, as well as iron and steel and industrial gases. The group also entered the banking sector by purchasing Anadolubank from the Privatization Administration in 1997.
Mehmet Rüştü Başaran, Aysel Başaran and Erol Başaran Altıntuğ are in the management of the company.
