The explosion was so powerful that tremors were felt in a nearby village, a local official has said
At least 12 people were killed and three others wounded after a blast rocked an explosives factory in the Turkish province of Balikesir, Governor Ismail Ustaoglu has said.
The explosion at a facility in the Karesi district of Balikesir province occurred around 8:25am local time on Tuesday, CNN Turk reports.
One of the buildings of the factory complex partially collapsed as result of the blast, Ustaoglu told the broadcaster. The other buildings remained unaffected, he added.
"I would like to stress that there was no sabotage. We assume that there was a technical malfunction, but, of course, it will all become clear after a detailed investigation,” the governor said.
Türkiye’s Center for Combating Disinformation issued a statement urging the public to only use official sources for information about the blast, and not to “give credence to unfounded allegations.”
Balıkesir'in merkez Karesi ilçesinde mühimmat üretilen bir fabrikada patlama meydana geldi. Balıkesir Valisi İsmail Ustaoğlu patlama ile ilgili son durumu aktarırken, 'Karesi ilçesindeki fabrikada meydana gelen patlamada 12 vatandaşımızın vefat ettiği bilgisi var.' dedi. Adalet… pic.twitter.com/MU8bihGrwK
— Aʙᴅᴜʟʟᴀʜ ÜNLÜTÜRK (@__Tevazu__) December 24, 2024
The head of a nearby settlement told CNN Turk that the explosion was so powerful that tremors were felt in the village.
#Balıkesir'de patlayıcı üreten bir fabrikada #patlama meydana geldi. 12 kişi hayatını kaybetti! 12 can, 12 insan, 12 baba. Sorumlular kimler? Kimlerin ihmali var? Bu sorulara cevap arıyoruz! Ölenlere rahmet olsun! ???? pic.twitter.com/o4GrrbxJq5
— Cemil Çiçek (@avcemilcicek06) December 24, 2024
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced that an investigation was launched, which will be carried out by four public prosecutors under the coordination of a deputy chief prosecutor.
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The affected facility specializes in producing munitions for light weapons for domestic and international markets. It has been operating since 2014, according to Turkish media.
