11.11.2026 11:52
Worker Abdullah Kılınç, who was seriously injured in the explosion that occurred on November 9 at the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in the Aliağa district of İzmir, died in the hospital where he was being treated. Thus, the number of those who lost their lives in the explosion rose to 18. Search efforts continue for 1 person who is missing. Treatment of 6 injured people continues in hospitals.
In Aliağa, the death toll from the explosion in the steel mill section of the iron and steel factory continues to rise. Another worker who was taken to hospital with serious injuries has lost his life.
SERIOUSLY INJURED WORKER COULD NOT BE SAVED
Abdullah Kılınç, who was first taken to Aliağa State Hospital after the explosion and then referred to İzmir Bakırçay University Çiğli Training and Research Hospital, could not be saved despite all interventions. With Kılınç’s death, the number of people who lost their lives in the explosion rose to 18. One person is still missing. Treatment of 6 injured workers continues in hospitals.
CRANE RUNWAY BEAM COLLAPSED
The explosion occurred on November 9 at around 11:45 in the steel mill section of the factory on the Yeni Foça road. According to a statement by Deputy Minister of Justice Can Tuncay, during the transfer of the third electric arc furnace ladle, the crane runway beam separated from its column, support, and connections. The explosion occurred when the beam fell as a whole together with the charging crane and the ladle.
TOLL WORSENED HOUR BY HOUR
After the incident, İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban announced that the death toll had risen to 10. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in his statement the same day that the number of dead was 16. Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu stated that one more of the seriously injured had died and reported that the death toll had risen to 17.
IDENTITIES OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
The names of the workers who lost their lives in the explosion are as follows:
- İlker Sığırtmacıoğlu
- Hüsnü Ersoy
- Göksel Ünaldı
- Yasin Taşçı
- Uğur Temel
- Barış Güney
- Orhan Altay
- Özcan Efe
- Recep Fedai
- Abdülkadir Kınacı
- Ceylan Bıyıklı
- Ferhat Maraşlı
- Ersin Oğuz
- Mustafa Sert
- Kadir Kaan Özçelik
- Serkan Kurt
- Fatih Işık
- Abdullah Kılınç
DETENTION DECISION FOR 11 PEOPLE
Deputy Minister Tuncay announced that, in line with the preliminary expert report, the Aliağa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office decided to detain 11 people. Among those ordered detained are the factory manager and employer representative, the steel mill manager, the mechanical maintenance chief, the steel mill chief, the periodic inspection engineer, the section engineer, the crane mechanical maintenance engineer, the quality and planning manager, the administrative manager, the company’s Aliağa branch manager, and the company’s board chairman.
“WE WILL STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF OUR DECEASED AND INJURED WORKERS”
Tuncay said, “We will protect the rights and legal entitlements of our deceased and injured workers to the end. The investigation continues.” Noting that there are two separate investigations into previous accidents at the factory, Tuncay stated that the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office would evaluate them as a whole.
PRODUCTION HALTED AT FACTORY
Production activities at the facility have been stopped, while crime scene investigation teams and experts continue their work. The Aliağa Criminal Court of Peace issued a publication ban regarding the explosion.