Grain silo explosion at Turkey's Derince port wounds at least nine

ANKARA — The number of wounded reached 12 people after a powerful explosion rocked a section of state-run grain silos at a port in Turkey’s northwest, Turkish authorities said Monday.

The explosion at Derince port in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul, took place at around 2:30 p.m. local time. Kocaeli Mayor Tahir Buyukakin said three of the wounded were in critical condition. 

“We are certain that nobody got trapped under the rubble. We don’t expect an increase in the number of wounded,” he said, adding that the fire broke out after the explosion was extinguished and that efforts to cool the site were underway.

Kocaeli Governor Serdar Yavuz the explosion highly likely stemmed from pressure from the combustible grain dust confined in the silos. He added that technical teams were still working at the site to establish the cause and that an investigation into the explosion has begun.

Buyukakin said at least 13 of the site's 60 of silos collapsed, adding that emergency teams were still trying to reach silos located in the middle.

Media footage showed a mass of gray smoke rising from the site at the moment of the explosion. The tremor was felt across Kocaeli province, residents said, according to local media reports.

Turkey’s Transportation Ministry said the explosion did not damage ships anchored at the port. 

This story has been updated since its initial publication.