12 killed in blast at Turkiye explosives plant

A powerful blast on Tuesday ripped through an explosives plant in northwest Turkiye killing a dozen people and injuring four others, the local governor said.

"There is information that 12 of our citizens died in the explosion that occurred in the factory in Karesi district," Balıkesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said.

"After the explosion occurred in the part of the factory where capsules are produced, the building collapsed. All our teams are here right now," he added.

Footage showed shards of glass and metal scattered outside the plant.

The blast took place at 8:25am at a section of the plant, the governor said, adding that that part of the building collapsed.

Prosecutors have launched an investigation.

Emergency crews, including 112 emergency medical and fire teams, were dispatched to the site shortly after the incident.

Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said that an investigation has been launched into the explosion.

On X, Tunc stated that the Balikesir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has assigned one deputy chief prosecutor and four prosecutors to oversee the investigation.

He said: "The investigation is being conducted comprehensively and meticulously."

Additionally, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives in an explosion at an explosives factory in Karesi district of Balıkesir.

"I wish God's mercy upon our citizens who lost their lives as a result of the explosion that occurred in a factory producing explosives in the Karesi district of Balikesir, patience to their families and loved ones, and a speedy recovery to our injured citizens," he wrote in a post on X.

— Additional input from AFP