UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS FROM HEALTH MINISTER, INTERIOR MINISTER; REVISES DECK
By Emre Ayvaz, Yavuz Emrah Sever and Omer Faruk Simsek
SAKARYA, Turkey (AA) – The death toll from fireworks factory blasts in northwestern Turkey rose to four, the country's health minister said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters in Sakarya province, where the incident took place, Fahrettin Koca said 108 people were taken to the hospital and 48 of them were discharged, while 60 injured were still under treatment.
A total of 84 ambulances, two air ambulances, 18 medical rescue teams, and emergency aid personnel along with the disaster and emergency teams were dispatched to the scene in Sakarya province.
Koca conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished speedy recoveries to the injured.
The minister said he will remain at the place of the incident until he gets updates about the condition of all wounded people.
Koca also said that people living in the area might be affected by fireworks gases, especially in the first 12 hours after the incident. He asked locals to wear masks and to not leave their homes.
He also noted that the factory has some 186 employees, 20 of whom were not working on Friday, and another 15 to 20 people left the work earlier in the morning.
Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, who also rushed to the scene following the incident, said: “There are seven people lost. Four of them are deceased. Rescue efforts are ongoing for three others.”
Referring to the incident, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said: "All kinds of measures are taken as of now."
Erdogan said he hoped to hear better news from the scene and that people returned to their families in a healthy condition.
The blasts took place in the Hendek district of the province.
*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev and Sena Guler from Ankara
