Three killed when truck explodes while removing explosives from Turkish firework factory

Three people are killed when truck explodes while removing explosives from Turkish firework factory that blew up last week, claiming seven lives

  • The three fatalities were members of the Turkish security force, officials said
  • The blast occurred as the explosives were being unloaded at a stone quarry 
  • Six more people were injured in the explosion, and one is in a critical condition
  • The detonation came just six days after the firework factory exploded last Friday

Three people have been killed after a truck carrying fireworks away from a factory that blew up last week exploded in Turkey. 

The three victims were all members of the Turkish security force, the Interior Ministry confirmed. 

They were in a truck carrying explosives from the factory outside the town of Henkek, in the Sakarya province on the Black Sea coast, to a stone quarry.

The fireworks were due to be detonated in a controlled explosion, the ministry said. 

The blast occurred as the explosives were being unloaded, injuring six more people in the process. 

The truck explosion happened just six days after the firework factory experienced a series of large explosions last week (above), which killed seven people and wounded more than 120 

A drone photo shows the destruction after an explosion at a firework factory in the Hendek district of Sakarya on 4 July

A drone photo shows the destruction after an explosion at a firework factory in the Hendek district of Sakarya on 4 July

Two of those killed were from the explosives disposal team, the ministry added, and one of those injured remains in a critical condition. 

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu travelled to the scene, Anadolu reported. 

The blast happened just six days after a series of huge explosions destroyed the fireworks factory, in the north west of the country, which killed seven people and injured more than 120.   

Television footage showed smoke rising from the factory where 189 employees were working last Friday.   

A view of the damage after an explosion at a firework factory in Hendek district of Sakarya, Turkey on July 3. The cause of the blast at the factory, which is away from residential areas, remains under investigation

A view of the damage after an explosion at a firework factory in Hendek district of Sakarya, Turkey on July 3. The cause of the blast at the factory, which is away from residential areas, remains under investigation

Dozens of ambulances and two helicopters were among emergency vehicles sent to the complex to bring the blaze under control. 

The cause of the blast at the factory, which is away from residential areas, remains under investigation.  

Turkish officials launched an investigation into last Friday’s incident, which was described by the government’s disaster agency AFAD as an ‘industrial accident’.

Local media reported that two owners of the factory were detained this week.

The HaberTurk broadcaster’s website had reported that there had been previous explosions at the factory in 2009, 2011 and 2014, one of them fatal.