Crane snaps and plunges into furnace, killing 16 at Turkish steel plant
A snapped ceiling crane fell into an arc furnace at a Turkish steel plant, killing 16 people with 10 still trapped.
A crane failure at the Habas steel and iron plant in Izmir, Turkey's west coast, has killed 16 people, President Erdogan confirmed. The ceiling crane snapped during liquid steel casting and plunged into an arc furnace, causing an explosion.
Ten workers remain trapped under rubble as search teams work to reach them. Footage broadcast by local TV stations showed large plumes of grey dust rising above the plant.
Witnesses described the blast as intense and earthquake-like, with the ground shaking violently. Fourteen people were injured and taken to regional hospitals, with three in serious condition.
Rescue operations were ongoing at the time of reporting.
- 16
- Deaths confirmed
- 10
- Still trapped under rubble
- 14
- Injured hospitalized
- Aliaga district, Izmir, Turkey
- Plant location
Why it mattersIndustrial equipment failure caused mass casualties at a major manufacturing site, highlighting workplace safety risks in heavy industry.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but any Australian workers at Turkish or similar plants should review safety protocols; the incident illustrates workplace hazard risks.
Corroborated byPerthNow
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
