Approximately 100 kilometres from Istanbul, a massive explosion that injured at least 10 people rocked a Turkish port.
The explosion at a grain storage facility in Kocaeli’s Derince neighbourhood is captured on video and posted online.
As the building on the seaside was consumed by fire, two employees could be seen hastily leaving.
From miles away, thick black smoke plumes could be seen rising into the sky.
Moment of the massive explosion and its aftermath at Derince Port in Kocaeli, Turkey
According to Derince mayor Zeki Aygün, four individuals were sent to the hospital after an incident that occurred just after 2.30 p.m. local time, close to the Turkish Grain Board (TMO) silos.
He was cited as stating, “We heard an explosion noise and we saw the explosion hit TMO’s silos.”
Later, Kocaeli Governor Seddar Yavuz reported that there were now 10 injured, with two of them critically so.
In a statement to TRT Haber, he claimed that the explosion was caused by “dust jamming” in the TMO silos as the wheat was being transferred from the ships.
Firefighters were sent out right away to the location to attempt and put out the blazing blaze.
As emergency personnel remove individuals, a video captures the path of wreckage left in the wake of the silos’ massive explosion.
The Turkish Ministry of Transportation has stated that the explosion did not cause any damage to ships.