Massive explosion at a steel plant in Izmir, Turkey: 3 dead, 14 hurt and 10 workers trapped under the rubble

A powerful explosion and fire tore through an iron and steel plant in the Aliağa district of Izmir, western Turkey, on Monday, Turkey's Anadolu Agency reports.

The Izmir governor's office said three people were killed and 14 were injured, three of them seriously. "Work is continuing without pause to reach the 10 citizens trapped under the debris," the governor's office said.

The blast hit the HABAŞ iron and steel works around 11:30 a.m. local time (about 3:30 a.m. ET); Turkish outlets say it was in the plant's carbon dioxide filling unit. Video from the road outside showed a huge column of smoke and dust rising over the site. "The ground shook. It was very violent," witness Nuri Ali Ülker told Anadolu.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said search-and-rescue, firefighting and emergency teams are working at the scene and the injured have been taken to hospitals. The cause has not been announced.