At least 12 killed in explosives factory blast in northwest Turkey

At least a dozen people were killed on Tuesday after a blast occurred at an explosives manufacturing plant in the Karesi district of Balikesir, Türkiye, Turkiye Today reported, with four others injured.

It said the explosion occurred at a factory in the province of Balikesir and cited the local governor as saying there was no suspicion of sabotage.

“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.

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.