The Habaş steelworks explosion in Aliağa in western Turkey killed 16 people on Monday, 9 November 2026. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced this outcome after a government meeting. Thirteen wounded continue their treatment, two of them in serious condition. Judicial and administrative investigations must establish the circumstances of the tragedy and possible responsibilities.
The industrial site is located in the province of Izmir, about 60 kilometres north of the port city. The victims are factory workers. The balance sheet has increased over the course of research and hospital information during the afternoon.
The Habaş steelworks explosion and the fall of a crane
The governorate of Izmir is located around noon, or 9 a.m. UTC, in the Bozköy district. His initial findings suggest the rupture of a rolling bridge, which fell into an arc furnace during a liquid steel casting operation. This description remains that of the first official observations, prior to the findings of the investigators.
Governor Süleyman Elban then described a drop in equipment during an operation to replace equipment. A fire followed the explosion. Relief has mobilized firefighters, medical teams and Turkish disaster management services.
Mayor of Izmir, Cemil Tugay, said the teams were working to clear a collapsed platform. The wounded reached several hospitals in the area. Initial announcements of people trapped in the rubble preceded the presidential review of the evening.
Habaş evokes maintenance work
In a statement relayed by a Turkish agency, Habaş presents the accident as having occurred during planned maintenance work. The company states that this work concerned one of the electric arc furnaces at its site in Aliağa.
The management confirms dead and wounded among its employees. She states that her emergency teams intervened and that the wounded were hospitalized. She also claims to work with the competent authorities to determine the causes of the accident. These statements do not constitute the findings of the investigation.
Five people arrested, according to Turkish press
The Menemen Prosecutor’s Office opened the judicial investigation. Five persons were arrested in this context, according to reports from Turkish agencies taken up by several local media. Investigators are looking for possible negligence or responsibilities. An inquiry does not prejudge the guilt of the persons concerned.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, and the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Vedat Işıkhan, to Izmir. The Presidency confirmed their move and the opening of both investigations.
The President requested that the accident be established, its causes and possible failures. The DEM opposition party, for its part, called for a transparent investigation and prosecution of those responsible if there were any shortcomings.
The expertise still needs to specify the technical sequence of the explosion and the safety conditions in the workshop. The treatment of the 13 wounded continues.
Photo of illustration: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a press conference in The Hague on 25 June 2025. This archive does not show Aliğa’s accident or his announcement of November 9, 2026. Phil Nijhuis / Dutch Foreign Ministry, via Wikimedia Commons. Whole photo, resized proportionally and surrounded by a Libnanews dressing.Original photo and credits. Photo and visual adaptation undercC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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