A fire and an explosion took place on Monday at a steelworks located in the Manisa region of Turkey, as reported by El País.
Turkish authorities confirmed that at least 16 people died and another 13 were injured during normal production operations.
The explosion happened at 09:45 local time at Alkaya Steel factory, situated near the municipality of Kocaeli. Initial reports indicate that a fire broke out in a storage area containing flammable materials, which triggered the blast.
The Turkish Ministry of Public Security issued an official statement detailing initial findings and announced the launch of investigations to determine whether technical failures or operational negligence were direct causes of the incident.
In response to the disaster, five persons have been detained by police authorities for possible responsibility in the event. The detentions took place in Manisa and Kocael as reported by El País.
To date, there are no official statements regarding specific causes nor about the presence of toxic gases or abnormal environmental conditions that might have contributed to the explosion.