Azerbaijan, Ukraine extend condolences to Türkiye after deadly factory explosion

Azerbaijan and Ukraine on Monday expressed condolences to Türkiye following an explosion at a steel factory that killed 16 people and injured 13 others.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said it was deeply saddened by the incident in the Aegean city of Izmir and extended its condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed, while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.

"We offer our deepest condolences to the state and people of brotherly Türkiye in connection with this tragedy," the ministry said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed condolences to the families of the victims, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the people of Türkiye.

"A deeply distressing tragedy at an iron and steel factory in Türkiye that claimed lives and left people injured. Every life lost leaves grief, and I extend our condolences to those who lost their loved ones, President Erdoğan @RTErdogan, and all the people of Türkiye," Zelenskyy wrote on US social media platform X, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Earlier, Izmir Gov. Suleyman Elban said the explosion took place during a boiler replacement procedure when an overhead crane collapsed, sending debris into an electric arc furnace and triggering an explosion.

Erdogan later said 16 people were killed and 13 others injured, including two seriously, in the blast.

He said investigations had been launched to determine "the cause and circumstances of this tragic incident, which has deeply saddened our nation, as well as any negligence and those responsible."