At least four people were killed and 114 were injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory in northwestern Sakarya province, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on July 3.
The explosion occurred at a Sakarya fireworks factory at about 11.00 a.m. local time (0800GMT) on July 3.
Koca said on Twitter that 114 people have been hospitalized due to their injuries. Some 92 people, who were hospitalized, have been discharged, the minister said. He added that the remaining 22 injured are still receiving medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Minister Selçuk said that according to the Social Security Institution (SGK) records, the factory has 186 employees. Selçuk also added that the numbers can change because there can be visitors at the factory. Officials at the ministry are carrying out works to find out if any visitors were present during the explosion, she said. Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into the factory explosion. Authorities will take the statements of factory officials, according to local media reports.
