Iskenderun Container Terminal in Turkey was hit by a massive blaze on Tuesday, following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country on Monday. The fire, which was caused by the earthquakes, ignited hundreds of shipping containers, creating a dense plume of black smoke that could be seen for miles.

 

Despite initial efforts to control the fire from both land and sea, military helicopters and planes were deployed to help bring it under control. Firefighters from Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, were also called in to assist. On Wednesday afternoon, the mayor of Istanbul confirmed that the fire had been extinguished for the second time and cooling efforts were underway.

 

The earthquakes caused widespread damage in the area, making it difficult for emergency services to access the site. All operations at the Iskenderun port were shut down after the earthquakes, forcing major shipping firms to divert their vessels to other terminals.

 

Turkish ships have now begun delivering aid materials to the port, which will be used in earthquake relief and to transport injured citizens to the nearby city of Mersin. However, there is no word yet on when the port will reopen to international ships, as it will need to undergo a full inspection.

 

Fortunately, the fire did not spread to a section where flammable materials were stored, according to a source from the port. The first earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.8, struck at 04:17 local time near the city of Gaziantep, followed by a second quake, nearly as large, 12 hours later, 130km to the north. The earthquakes have so far claimed the lives of over 11,000 people in Turkey and northern Syria.

 

 

 

Blaze at Iskenderun Port Extinguished After Earthquakes Strike Turkey

 

Iskenderun, one of two main container ports on Turkey’s southern coast, was hit by a massive fire caused by the earthquakes that devastated parts of the country on Monday. The blaze was the result of hundreds of shipping containers catching fire, sending a dense plume of black smoke into the sky.

 

Efforts to extinguish the fire from the land and sea were initially unsuccessful, leading authorities to call for military helicopters and planes to help bring the fire under control. Firefighters from Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, also came to assist. On Wednesday afternoon, the mayor confirmed that the fire had been extinguished once again and efforts to cool the site were underway.

 


Emergency services faced difficulties accessing the fire due to damage caused by the earthquakes and containers blocking the entrance. All operations at the port were shut down following the earthquakes and major shipping firms were forced to divert their vessels to other terminals in the region.

 

According to the defence ministry, Turkish ships have begun delivering aid materials to the port that will be used in earthquake relief efforts and will transport injured citizens to the nearby city of Mersin. There has been no word yet on when the port will reopen to international ships, as it will need to undergo a full inspection.

 


Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the section where flammable materials were stored, according to a source from the port. The earthquakes, which had a magnitude of 7.8 and 6.0, struck near the city of Gaziantep and have so far resulted in over 11,000 deaths in Turkey and northern Syria.