Turkey fireworks: Deadly factory blasts trap workers
- Published
Video shows a huge plume of smoke and fireworks after the incident at a factory in Sakarya province.
Almost 200 workers have been caught up in a series of explosions at a fireworks factory in north-west Turkey that has left at least two dead.
Local governor Cetin Oktay Kaldirim said many were trapped by the blasts and emergency services were unable to reach the building.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave details of the fatalities and said 74 others had been hurt.
The explosions in Hendek could be heard dozens of kilometres away.
A dark plume of smoke billowed above the factory and the government's disaster agency described the blasts as an industrial accident.
Mr Erdogan said 189 people had been working at the site at the time of the explosions.
The local mayor, Turgut Babaoglu, said many of them had managed to escape the blasts, which began at around 11:15 (08:15 GMT).
Mr Babaoglu said dozens of firefighters and rescue workers had been sent to the scene.
- Published3 July 2020
