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Overhead crane collapse at Turkish steel plant kills 17
10 November 2026
An overhead crane fell into an electric arc furnace during a boiler replacement at the Habas steel plant in Aliaga, western Türkiye, triggering an explosion and fire that killed 17 workers and injured 12 on Monday, 9 November.
Workers walk after an explosion at an iron and steel manufacturing plant in the Aliaga district of Türkiye’s coastal Izmir province, 9 November, 2026. Photo: Reuters/Ali Dinc
Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban said the crane fell while crews replaced a boiler, causing an explosion in the steel mill behind the furnace. Turkish media reported that the governor said the falling parts also damaged a natural gas line.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the arc furnace’s crane collapsed during maintenance the plant carries out every two weeks. The plant’s operator said the accident happened during scheduled maintenance on one of its electric arc furnaces.
Authorities have not identified the crane’s manufacturer, model or capacity, or what made it fall. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed the deaths and said investigations are under way. Turkish media reported that police obtained orders to detain six people and that four prosecutors are handling the case.
Habas opened the Aliaga plant in 1987 and says it can produce 4.5 million tonnes of steel a year.
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