Five killed in blast at Turkish dynamite factory

Five workers have been killed by a huge blast at a rocket and explosives factory in Turkey, officials say.

Five workers have been killed by a huge blast at a rocket and explosives factory in Turkey, officials say.

It happened early on Saturday morning at the state-owned MKE Rocket and Explosives Factory, 40km (25 miles) east of the capital Ankara.

Several others were injured by the blast, which state TV said shattered windows in nearby homes and shops.

Officials said the explosion was caused by an incident in the factory's dynamite department.

Regional governor Vahap Sahin said that no other workers or staff remained trapped in the rubble, and state media reported that wounded employees had been transferred to local hospitals. Several are said to be in a critical condition.

Mr Sahin told reporters that the explosion was the "result of a chemical experiment, according to technical staff", and that it happened at 08:45 local time (05:45 GMT).

In a statement, Deputy Defence Minister Alpaslan Kavaklioglu said officials had reviewed footage from inside the building in the moments before the blast and that there was "nothing out of the ordinary until the moment of the explosion".