Fireworks explosion kills 17 in Turkey
An explosion at an illegal fireworks factory in Istanbul killed 17 people and injured 68 others today.
A spokesman said there had been a small fire on the fourth floor of the building before the explosion occurred. The blast minutes killed eight people who were watching the fire, he said.
Earlier, one witness said 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 the fireworks manufacturer, according to local media. Nearby buildings also were damaged.
Part of the factory building in the Davutpasa district of Istanbul collapsed following the explosion.
Police sealed off the area as rescue workers tried to pull out six bodies trapped under the debris.
