10 suspects detained over links to Balıkesir factory blast

BALIKESİR

Authorities have detained 10 individuals suspected of negligence in connection with the deadly factory explosion in the northwestern province of Balıkesir, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said on Dec. 25.

A powerful blast ripped through an explosives plant in Balıkesir’s Karesi district on Dec. 24, killing 11 people and injuring seven others.

While the investigation into the precise cause of the incident remains ongoing, Tunç confirmed that initial findings have led to the detention of those deemed potentially culpable.

"Of course, the true extent of responsibility will be clarified once the expert report is finalized," he remarked.

Surveillance footage from the workplace, surrounding camera recordings and all technical data have been seized by judicial authorities for inspection, the minister said.

On the day of the incident, several ministers ruled out sabotage as a factor contributing to the blast.

As the funeral ceremonies for the victims were held on Dec. 25., the authorities announced that the 11 deceased factory workers were aged between 19 and 45, eight of whom were women.

Local media reported that the munitions factory specifically employed the deceased women in the capsule-filling section due to their relatively smaller fingers, which allowed for greater dexterity in handling the tasks. It was in this very section that the explosion occurred.

Among the victims was 19-year-old Elif Özdemir, who had begun working at the ammunition factory in Karesi district just six months prior.

Reports also said that Selin Karanlıkoğlu, a 27-year-old victim of the explosion, had wished to become a liver donor for her father who is battling liver disease, but their compatibility tests had not yielded a match.

Meanwhile, the media reported that a similar explosion occurred at the same factory a decade earlier. On June 3, 2014, six individuals were injured in an explosion caused by the detonation of three grams of shotgun powder.