Deadly Explosion at Turkish Explosives Factory Kills 12, Injures Four
A devastating explosion at an explosives factory in northwest Turkey has claimed the lives of 12 workers and left four others injured, Al Jazeera reports.
The blast occurred at the facility located in the village of Kavakli, within Balikesir province.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu stated that preliminary reports indicate 12 employees were killed and four were hospitalized following the powerful explosion. Authorities have said that the injured are not in critical condition.
The incident, which happened at approximately 8:25 am local time (05:25 GMT), took place during the morning shift change. The section of the factory where bullet capsules are manufactured suffered a complete collapse as a result of the blast.
Images from the scene showed debris of shattered glass and twisted metal strewn outside the facility, as ambulances stood by. The explosion also caused a power outage, hampering initial rescue efforts and forcing officials to manually search for any individuals who may still be trapped within the building. Fire crews were dispatched to extinguish the ensuing blaze, and health and security units were also deployed to the site.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the death toll and announced that a full investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion.
The factory produces munitions, explosives, and flares for both domestic and international markets. Turkiye has become a significant player in the global defense industry, notably in drone manufacturing, with strong government support from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
This tragedy comes just two months after a separate attack on a Turkish state-run defense company near Ankara, which killed five people and injured 22. That attack, which was claimed by the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK), prompted retaliatory attacks by Turkish forces against alleged PKK targets in Iraq and Syria.
