ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed condolences to Türkiye on Tuesday after an explosion at a steel plant in the western province of Izmir killed at least 16 people and injured 13 others, reaffirming Islamabad’s solidarity with Ankara following the deadly industrial accident.

The explosion occurred on Monday at the HABAS iron and steel plant in Aliaga, about 60 kilometers north of Izmir, when an overhead crane collapsed into an industrial furnace during maintenance work, according to Turkish authorities. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said judicial and administrative investigations had been launched to determine the cause of the blast and whether negligence was involved.

“Pakistan stands in solidarity with our Turkish brothers and sisters during this difficult time,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a post on X.

He said he was deeply saddened by the loss of life, extending condolences to Erdoğan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the families of those killed, while praying for the recovery of the injured.

The blast struck the privately owned facility shortly before noon on Monday, sending thick smoke into the sky and triggering a fire as emergency crews searched the damaged structure for trapped workers.

Izmir Governor Suleyman Elban said the accident occurred during equipment replacement work when a overhead crane fell into an electric arc furnace, triggering an explosion after damaging a natural gas line.

About 200 workers were present at the plant during the maintenance operation, compared with more than 300 during normal production shifts, according to the governor.

Pakistan and Türkiye maintain close diplomatic, defense and economic relations, with both countries frequently expressing support for each other during natural disasters and other emergencies.