Sulaimani police spokesperson Sarkawt Ahmad told Rudaw on Saturday that a number of the injuries were severe, however no one has died as a result of the explosion.
The explosion occurred as a result of old mortars and artillery shells that exploded while being melted at the factory to be reused for various purposes, according to Rudaw reporter on the ground, Arkan Ali.
"We heard the explosion and saw the roof of the factory fall when we went to the scene and transported some of the injured to the hospital," a witness at the scene said.
Last year, a worker was killed and three others were injured in an explosion at the same factory.
The factory reclaims old steel by melting scrap into ingots. The metal can then be reused for construction and other purposes.
Iraq is largely devoid of iron ore and relies on factories recycling the metal as well as imports to meet the country's demands.
