In the aftermath of a devastating explosion at the HABAS steel factory in Aliaga, Turkey, grieving families have begun laying their loved ones to rest while thousands take to the streets to demand accountability. The blast, which occurred when a massive container of molten steel plummeted into a furnace, claimed the lives of 18 workers and left several others severely injured. Forensic experts described the victims' remains as being beyond recognition due to the extreme heat. As investigations unfold, authorities have detained the company’s chairman and several other officials, signaling a potential legal reckoning for the industrial disaster.

The tragedy has ignited widespread outrage across the country, with hundreds of protesters gathering in Aliaga, Istanbul, and Ankara. Chanting slogans such as "Not an accident but murder," demonstrators and workers highlighted a long-standing history of safety concerns at the facility, where local media report at least 11 deaths over the last decade. The atmosphere reached a breaking point when a traumatized survivor, a long-time driver at the plant, set himself on fire in a horrifying act of protest outside the factory gates. As the government faces increasing pressure from opposition parties to launch a full parliamentary inquiry, families of the victims have vowed to pursue justice, refusing to let the incident be dismissed as a mere workplace mishap.