Sahin said the explosion was likely to have been caused by a chemical reaction during the production of dynamite. Prosecutors have launched a formal investigation, he said.
Gray smoke was seen rising from the compound as ambulances and fire trucks rushed to the area, private NTV television reported.
Shop and house windows in surrounding areas were shattered by the force of the blast, the report said.
Family members rushed to the compound for news of their loved ones, the station said.“There was an explosion in the dynamite department of the factory as a result of a chemical experiment, according to technical staff,” Vahap Sahin, the governor of the Ankara province, told reporters.
“Unfortunately five workers have died, our condolences go to their families,” Sahin said. Turkey’s defence ministry also confirmed the death toll in a separate statement.
“There were five other workers under the rubble, but we have managed to rescue them.”
Wounded employees of the factory have been taken to hospitals, according to state media, which said that an investigation has been launched into the incident.
