A huge explosion at a steel factory in Western Turkey has left at least 17 people dead and 13 injured

At least 17 people were killed and 13 injured in an explosion at a steel plant in the western Turkish province of Izmir on Monday. All those killed and injured were workers at the Habas plant in Aliaga, one of the country's leading steel producers, authorities said. Footage posted online showed a huge cloud of thick smoke pouring into the sky as flames appeared to engulf a tall structure within the plant. According to Izmir's governor, the blast was caused by an overhead crane that collapsed into a large industrial furnace used during the liquid steel casting process. He said 200 workers were in the crane's vicinity at the time of the incident. Workers' groups said there was a long record of safety issues at Habas. According to local media, at least 11 workers had died over the past decade while working there.