Blast in Turkish pasta factory kills one, injures 30

Duvar English

A Sept. 15 blast at the Oba Makarna factory in the Hendek district of Sakarya, followed by a fire, injured 30 people, six of whom were in critical condition. One person was found dead.

The explosion occurred for reasons yet unknown at the pasta factory near the Hendek toll booths on the Anatolian Highway. Following the explosion, a fire broke out at the facility.

The injured were taken to nearby hospitals by medical teams. Firefighters continued cooling operations at the site, according to reports from the Anadolu Agency.

Oba Pasta owner Alpaslan Özgüçlü told Halk TV, "The factory operates 24/7. I am also trying to get information and heading to Sakarya on the first flight."

Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yusuf Alemdar stated that initial findings indicated the explosion happened in the attic. "There are injured workers inside. We are working to control the fire as soon as possible and minimize the damage. We cannot determine the cause yet as the fire is ongoing," he said.

Sakarya Governor Yaşar Karadeniz said, "There were 57 workers and two kitchen staff, making a total of 59 employees. Some workers were reportedly in the area where the explosion occurred. Initial assessments suggest the blast happened in the mill section. We have 21 injured, with two in critical condition and intubated."

Later, the Sakarya Governorship announced that one person was found dead in the debris, and the number of injured had risen to 30. "As of now, 30 people have been injured in the explosion at a factory in our Hendek district, six of them critically.

Two of the critically injured were reportedly intubated. Three firefighters were also slightly injured during cooling efforts and were treated as outpatients. Five of the injured have been discharged. Cooling operations continued, and necessary security measures have been taken around the factory. During these operations, the body of one person was recovered. Factory officials stated that no other workers or civilians were inside," the statement said.

Deputy Health Minister Halim Özçevik added, "The number of injured has risen slightly. Five have been discharged, including one firefighter. Two are intubated, and one patient was transferred to Istanbul due to their critical condition. Another is being treated at Kocaeli City Hospital in an intubated state."

Özçevik also mentioned that one of the injured was a 12-year-old child who had accompanied their father to work. "The child is in good condition," he said. "The patient transferred to Istanbul will likely undergo surgery due to their critical state."

The worker who died in the explosion was identified as 27-year-old Mesut Simay. According to the Demirören News Agency (DHA), Simay's family searched hospitals after the explosion but could not locate him. His body was later discovered on the stairs of the factory's fifth floor and taken to a forensic center. DNA testing would confirm the identity.