A tragic incident occurred in Istanbul as a fire broke out in an entertainment center located in a building on Gayrettepe Yıldız Posta Caddesi Gönenoğlu Street, resulting in the death of 29 people and injuring 2 others. The building’s apartment manager, Şeker, expressed his concerns to the press, stating that the area where the fire broke out was isolated due to sound insulation, causing those inside to suffocate from smoke. He mentioned that they had complained several times about the entertainment center and expressed that they did not want it there.
In his statement, Şeker revealed that the deceased were trapped under dense smoke and emphasized that they had lodged multiple complaints about the entertainment center. He explained the history of the building, stating that initially, it was a television studio and later converted into a cinema hall, but the area was not suitable for such establishments due to safety concerns.
When asked about previous reports of armed conflict at the entertainment center, Şeker did not provide a direct answer. However, he mentioned that they had complained in the past about the place regarding noise and safety issues. He expressed that the building’s occupants did not want the place to be there due to the shared entry and exit point in the building.
Regarding rumors that the entrance of the building was blocked by a truck during the fire, Şeker denied such claims, stating that no one parked their vehicles at the entrance as the staff was present there. Additionally, he clarified that the workers were not residing in the entertainment center but were invited for an iftar gathering.
Şeker disclosed that they had previously approached the owner of the entertainment center to discuss the shared space issues, but due to the landlord’s disagreement, they were unable to have necessary inspections such as seismic tests conducted. The tragic incident has led to an investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, resulting in the detention of 9 suspects, including the responsible manager, business partners, and other individuals involved in the establishment’s renovation.
The authorities are now conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire and hold those responsible accountable for the loss of lives. The community mourns the victims of this catastrophic event and calls for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future. Efforts are being made to provide support to the families of the victims and ensure that safety measures are strictly enforced in all establishments to prevent similar incidents.
