An explosion rocked the Machinery and Chemical Industry (MKE) capsule factory in the Turkish capital Ankara’s Mamak district on Tuesday morning.
The blast, which occurred around 11.00 am local time, led to the dispatch of numerous fire trucks to the scene. However, the intervention was hampered due to the reactive nature of the materials with water, causing the fire to spread to a nearby forested area.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the incident, stating that police, fire brigade and emergency teams were on the site.
The MKE factories have a troubling history of similar incidents. In June 2023, an explosion at the MKE rocket and explosive factory in Elmadağ, Ankara resulted in the death of five workers. Prior to that, in September 2022, two workers were injured at the MKE Kırıkkale gunpowder factory. In May 2018, an explosion at the MKE fuel processing centre in Elmadağ, Ankara, claimed one life and injured four others. Earlier, in 2013, two separate explosions at MKE facilities resulted in multiple fatalities and significant damage.
The recurring nature of these incidents has led to calls for a comprehensive investigation into the safety standards at MKE factories, with several opposition parties, including the pro-Kurdish Green Left Party and the Labour Party (EMEP), demanding parliamentary inquiries.
