Explosion kills 20 in Turkey

2008-01-31 19:14

Istanbul - An explosion at an unlicensed fireworks factory in Istanbul killed 20 people and injured 117 others on Thursday, officials said.

"The blast was caused by the fireworks," Muammer Guler said. He ruled out terrorism, and said an investigation was under way.

Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas said a chain of explosions collapsed the top two floors of the building and damaged columns of nearby buildings.

"There were two explosions. The first explosion started a fire and people began gathering outside to watch it. Eight of those people lost their lives in the subsequent explosion," Topbas said.

The mayor's office said 20 people were killed and 117 people were injured. Eight of the injured were in serious condition.

The factory was shut down by authorities twice before but continued its work illicitly, a municipal director, Murat Aydin, told NTV television.

The district of Davutpasa, where the explosion occurred, is home to an industrial zone with many unregulated businesses. Topbas said regulation is difficult because there are so many factories in the city of more than 12 million people, and he appealed to residents to inform authorities about unlicensed manufacturers.

Earlier, a witness who identified himself as Ali told CNN-Turk television that he heard two explosions, five minutes apart, while working at a nearby factory.

"White smoke was rising into the sky from the factory as we came to the front of the building. People were running around. I helped carry out six injured people," he said.

Businesses in the five-story building included textile makers and an unlicensed fireworks manufacturer, according to local media. Part of the building collapsed following the explosion.

Police sealed off the area as rescue workers pulled bodies from under the debris.

Earlier, television footage showed at least two men lying in the street. Another man with blood on his face walked nearby. Rubble lay strewn around the shattered building, and falling debris had smashed several vehicles.

In 2005, a series of explosions at a fireworks depot in Istanbul killed six people. The explosions occurred in a section of the warehouse that was not licensed to hold fireworks.

- SAPA