Video of the massive explosion shows glass and metal scattered outside the Turkish factory. Ambulances stand guard at the scene of the incident in the Karesi district of Balikesir province.
“According to initial reports, 12 employees were killed and four injured were taken to hospital after the explosion,” Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said.
Turkish officials said the injured were not in serious condition. There were no workers left inside the plant and the fire had been extinguished.
The explosion occurred at 8:25 a.m. local time on December 24 in an area of the factory located far from residential areas. The site has now collapsed due to the force of the massive explosion.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the cause of the explosion at the plant was not immediately known.
Local authorities said there were "technical reasons" for the explosion. Officials have ruled out sabotage and prosecutors have opened an investigation.
The factory, located north of Balikesir, produces ammunition, explosives and flares for the Turkish and international markets.
Witnesses told local media that some areas of the plant "looked like a battlefield" after the explosion.
Türkiye is a major defense exporter, especially of drones.
In 2020, an explosion at a fireworks factory in northwestern Türkiye killed seven people and injured 127 others.
In 2023, an explosion at a Turkish military explosives factory, located about 40 km east of the capital Ankara, killed five people.
