A seven-storey building collapsed in Turkey: two fatalities and at least three injuries

A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday in the northwestern Turkish city of Gebze where a seven-storey building collapsed and claimed the lives of two people while 3 others were injured. Local authorities confirmed that all five victims were members of the same family. Gebze’s governor, İlhami Aktaş, stated that rescue operations were launched immediately after the collapse, with emergency crews working tirelessly at the site to recover.

According to reports, the victims included a 43-year-old man, a 37-year-old woman, and their three children. The body of 12-year-old Muhammed Emir Bilir was recovered from the debris, while search teams continue to identify the second fatality. Hundreds of personnel from the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) have been deployed to the area, continuing efforts to clear the wreckage and determine if anyone else might be trapped beneath it.

The cause of the building’s collapse is not known yet. However, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported that investigations are underway. Gebze’s mayor, Zinnur Büyükgöz, suggested that nearby metro construction work might have contributed to the tragedy. The collapse has once again drawn attention to building safety and the need for strict enforcement of construction standards in Turkey, a country prone to seismic activity and structural failures.

This disaster follows a 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck western Turkey, toppling several uninhabited buildings in Balıkesir province. Although there were no direct casualties from that quake, 22 people were injured during the ensuing panic. The tremor, which occurred late Monday night, was felt across multiple provinces, including Istanbul and Izmir. Experts continue to warn that, without stronger oversight and adherence to modern building codes, Turkey remains vulnerable to such devastating incidents.