An explosion at a factory in Turkey's northwest has claimed the lives of at least eleven people and injured seven others.

The blast took place at an explosive manufacturing factory in the Karesi district in the province of Balikesir, south of Istanbul.

The country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya spoke outside the factory and said the incident is being investigated.

"No suspicion of sabotage in this incident," Yerlikaya said.

Plant produces munitions and explosives

The blast took place at 8:25 am (0525 GMT/UTC) at a section of the plant, the governor said, adding that part of the building collapsed. 

The plant produces munitions, explosives and flares for the domestic and international markets.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying that the cause of the blast, which is located away from residential areas, was not immediately known. 

"We are trying to find out what caused it," he said.

Erdogan says 'saddened' by incident

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Turkish he was "deeply saddened by the death of 12 brothers," in a post on social platform X. The number of casualties had initially been announced to be 12, with Turkish authorities later revising the number to eleven dead.

In 2020 an explosion at a fireworks factory killed at least four people and injured scores of others.

kb/rm (Reuters, AFP)