Breaking News: The claim that 'workers were called' after the disaster at the Habaş factory in Aliağa, Izmir...

An explosion occurred at noon during planned maintenance work at the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory on Yeni Foça road in Aliağa district of Izmir.

It was stated that while the boiler was being replaced at the factory, the ceiling crane broke and fell into the arc furnace. When the falling pieces hit the natural gas line, a violent explosion occurred and a fire broke out in the factory.

Along with the explosion, some parts of the factory also collapsed.

LOSSES OF LIFE INCREASED TO 17

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that 16 people lost their lives and 13 people were injured, 2 seriously, in the explosion. It was announced that one of the injured people who was taken to the hospital, whose condition was serious, died. Thus, the number of people who lost their lives in the explosion reached 17.

6 SUSPECTS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that 4 public prosecutors were assigned within the scope of the investigation into the explosion. The Social Security Institution also appointed a chief inspector.

6 people are detained within the scope of the investigation into the incident.

THREE MINISTERS INSPECTED THE REGION

Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and Minister of Health Kemal Memişoğlu inspected the factory.

Bayraktar, who later made a statement to journalists, stated that the accident occurred as a result of the collapse of the crane in the electric arc furnace at the factory during routine maintenance work carried out every two weeks.

Bayraktar said that the identification efforts of those who lost their lives in the explosion are continuing and continued as follows:

"Anyone who was negligent in the incident will be dealt with decisively. No one should be worried about this issue. As the state, we take care of all the needs of our families. We will continue to stand by them. The incident will be investigated in all its aspects, both administratively and judicially."

Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan expressed his great sadness due to the explosion.

Explaining that all relevant institutions of the state were mobilized under the coordination of the governorship from the first moment of the incident, Işıkhan said, "There are 37 occupational health and safety experts, 2 workplace physicians and a health personnel in the workplace where the incident occurred. Audits and inspections were carried out at various periods by our Ministry's Guidance and Inspection Directorate regarding the workplace." he said.

Işıkhan stated that, as the Ministry, the necessary investigations and inspections were carried out to shed light on all aspects of the incident, and that they were following the process closely. Minister Işıkhan said:

"If anyone has negligence or fault, the judicial authorities will definitely take the necessary interventions and procedures. The life of every worker is precious to us."

The three ministers later visited the injured in the hospital.

THE CLAIM THAT WORKERS WERE CALLED DESPITE THE EXPLOSION

It was claimed that HABAŞ management called the workers working in departments other than the rolling mill where the explosion occurred to the workplace. It was reported that the workers were told, "Tomorrow (today), everyone should come to the workplace and be present in their units, but there will be no production."

8 WORKERS LOST THEIR LIVES FROM 2018 TO YESTERDAY

Work accidents, deaths and injuries have occurred before at the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in Aliağa, Izmir.

- July 2018: An explosion occurred while the broken electrodes were being removed from the 150-ton 3rd furnace of the factory. 5 workers were injured, including Mevlüt Şimşek seriously, due to the molten iron scattered around.

- August 2018: Veli Yılmaz, Ramazan Şen and Hüseyin Gül were burned and seriously injured in the explosion that occurred in the continuous casting machine.

- October 2018: Worker Hasan Bostancı lost his life by falling from the dust collection chimney.

- May 2019: While being placed on the 120-ton ladle transport vehicle in the steel mill, it overturned and approximately 80 tons of liquid steel spilled into the work area. 11 workers were injured, four seriously.

- August 2020: Subcontracted worker Şaban Karaca got stuck between the steel blocks carried in the open area of ​​the factory and could not be saved due to internal bleeding.

- October 2020: Kadir Özdemir, a permanent employee, died by falling from a height of 10 meters while the old sheets were being replaced.

- November 2020: Raif Çatan, who worked for the subcontractor Yükseksan company at HABAŞ Port, died by falling into the sea while loading the ship in the wavy sea at night.

- January 2024: Kemal Özdemir, who worked as a subcontracted cleaning worker at HABAŞ Port, died when a metal coil fell on him while loading the ship.

- October 2026: Hakan Doğan, who worked for the subcontractor Akyaka company, died by falling from a height of 8 meters from the stairs.