Turkey: 12 killed in powerful blast at explosives plant in Karesi

At least 12 people reportedly died in a powerful blast that ripped through an explosives plant in Turkey's Karesi district of Balikesir province on Tuesday. The blast also injured four people.

The blast took place at 8:25 am (local time) at a section of the plant which local officials said collapsed under the force of the explosion.

The blast occurred in the capsule production facility of the factory located in the province of Balikesir, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency. Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said the explosion collapsed the capsule production building and that the surrounding buildings sustained minor damage.

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Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, cited in a news agency AFP report, said the cause of the blast at the factory, which is located away from residential areas, was not immediately known, however, sabotage was ruled out.

"We are trying to find out what caused it," he said.

Local officials pointed to "technical reasons" without elaborating as experts launched an investigation.

Visuals of blast surface

Visuals of the blast that surfaced on social media showed shards of glass and metal scattered outside the plant, with ambulances standing by.

"According to initial reports, 12 employees died and four were taken to hospital with injuries as a result of the explosion" in the Karesi district of Balikesir province, the AFP report quoted local governor Ismail Ustaoglu as saying.

Officials said the injured were not in a serious condition.

The blaze that erupted after the blast was brought under control and no one was trapped inside the factory, officials added.

Turkey is a major defence exporter, particularly for drones, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a major supporter of the industry.

In 2020, an explosion at a fireworks factory in northwestern Turkey killed seven people and injured 127 others.

In 2023, a blast at a military explosives factory left five people dead. That factory -- some 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the capital Ankara, was part of Turkey's defence ministry.