Autopsies completed for workers who lost their lives in Balıkesir explosion

An explosion occurred yesterday at approximately 08:30 in the capsule production section of the ZSR A.Ş. ammunition factory, which operates in the Kavaklı neighborhood of Balıkesir's Karesi district and employs 615 workers on a shift basis.

Following the explosion, the building's roof collapsed and a fire broke out. The autopsies of the 11 workers who lost their lives in the explosion have been completed. The bodies are being released to their families.

Tuğba Demir (21), Çetin Karamüftüoğlu (38), Muhammet Ergin (34), Özlem Özçakır (33), Tuba Sert (41), Enes Kırmızı (28), Seda Akın (35), Seçil Çapa (24), Müberra Sönmez (45), Selin Karanlıkoğlu (27), and Elif Özgür (19) lost their lives in the explosion, and 7 people were injured.

TREATMENT OF THE INJURED CONTINUES

Upon notification, AFAD, UMKE, fire department, gendarmerie, and police teams were dispatched to the area. The injured were taken to Atatürk City Hospital after receiving initial intervention at the scene.

The bodies were taken to the Bursa Forensic Medicine Institute. It was reported that the 7 workers, whose conditions are understood to be stable, are continuing their treatment in hospitals.

INVESTIGATION LAUNCHED

The Balıkesir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the explosion. Under the coordination of a deputy chief prosecutor, 4 public prosecutors were assigned, and a 5-person expert committee consisting of specialists in chemistry, machinery, occupational safety, and geophysics was appointed to determine the cause of the explosion.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has also appointed inspectors to investigate the explosion.

FACTORY HAD PREVIOUS EXPLOSION

On the other hand, it was revealed that an explosion occurred at the same ammunition factory in the Karesi district on June 3, 2014, during a cartridge compression process, which left 6 workers, 5 of whom were women, slightly injured, and that the incident was captured on security cameras.

The footage shows the moment of the explosion and the panic of the workers in the factory.

IDENTIFIED VIA DNA TESTING

While families who provided DNA samples for identification waited in the garden of the Bursa Forensic Medicine Institute throughout the night, the identification and autopsy procedures for the bodies were completed.

The Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor also arrived at the Forensic Medicine Institute to meet with the families and follow the autopsy procedures.

As funeral transport vehicles were brought to the Forensic Medicine Institute early in the morning, the bodies of the 11 individuals began to be released to their relatives for burial.

FUNERALS TO BE HELD TODAY

The funerals of the workers who lost their lives will be held in Balıkesir today. It was stated that Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır will also attend the funeral ceremonies.

Additionally, the damage at the factory where the explosion occurred was captured from the air.