The death toll balance from the explosion recorded on Monday at a metallurgical plant located in the Turkish city of Aliaga, in the province of Esmirna, in the west of the country, has risen to 19. This was confirmed this Friday by Turkish authorities, who also announced the end of the search and rescue work in the affected area.
Emergency services have located the body of a factory worker, identified as Baris Guney, who was among the people reported missing, according to information reported by the Turkish official news agency Anadolu.
At the same time, also this Friday, representatives of the Turkish Union of Metallurgical Workers gathered in front of the HABAS facilities to pay tribute to the employees who died in the explosion, an incident they have described as an "industrial murder" and a "massacre".
"What happened was not fate. There are those responsible for this industrial murder. Those responsible are those who evade the costs of occupational health and safety measures," said the union vice president, Mursel Ocal, in statements collected by the newspaper BirGun.
The investigation into the causes of the incident remains open. The incident also caused about a dozen injured people, including two people who are still admitted to the hospital, while security forces have proceeded to arrest nine suspects linked to the events.
In addition, this Tuesday, Mehmet Tustu Basaran, chairman of the Board of Directors of the HABAS plant, was arrested in connection with this case.
The explosion occurred on Monday around midday, during a series of steel casting operations at the HABAS plant, which caused a fire that spread through much of the facilities. All of the fatalities are plant employees.