The Kartalkaya fire and the 'Risk Society'

Disasters such as ‘epidemics’, ‘earthquakes’, and ‘fires’ once again demonstrate that both the world and our country are facing major risks. It is now a fact that we live in risk societies. A social future free from risks is unimaginable. Risk is a concept related to the future.

Societies and individuals are exposed to disaster risks that are far greater than ever before. From the water we drink and the food we eat in our daily lives to ecological/environmental/climatic disasters and the places we choose for vacations, we are faced with various uncontrolled risks. We are suffering heavy losses due to the damage caused by these risks. While science and technological innovations advance and spread rapidly, people seem to have less control over their own lives and environments.

Within the logic of neo-liberal economics, the maximum ‘greed for profit’ takes precedence over efforts for safety and stability. Risks that cannot be controlled and managed make the poor segments of the world's underdeveloped and developing countries more vulnerable rather than those of developed societies. Among vulnerable groups, the ‘poor’ and ‘children’ are at the forefront. Isn't it thought-provoking and painful that 38 of the 78 citizens who died, just like in the hotel fire, were children?

Undoubtedly, with the process of ‘exploitation-based globalization’ and the erosion of the social welfare state, individuals and societies are becoming exposed to new risks that are difficult to predict and control. Unlike risks in the past, whose causes were identified and effects were known, the sources of risks emerging today are unknown and their consequences are unpredictable. Let us not forget that the recent ‘Great Pandemic’ led to the loss of millions of people as an unprecedented disaster in the field of health.

Stating that we have entered an age of “reflexive modernity” where all actions have unforeseen, accidental consequences at every level (individual, social, and international), German sociologist Ulrich Beck mentions that risks shape a global risk society; that today's world harbors major risks and is on the verge of a new social order or on the brink of self-destruction. According to Beck, the unpredictable side effects of the claim of control, or the consequences that emerge much later, lead society back to an age of uncertainty, an age of multi-meaning, in short, a state of being a stranger to itself, which was thought to have been overcome. In today's world, which is riskier than the world of yesterday, that is, in the risk society, individuals, groups, and societies are the potential targets of risk.

The Bolu/Kartalkaya hotel fire will gain meaning when considered within the theoretical sociological context briefly summarized above. First of all, we must not forget the fact that disasters that have occurred in Turkey over the last 10-20 years have led to major deaths and massive material losses. So, has society learned enough from these major losses? In my opinion, no. For one thing, the Kartalkaya hotel fire once again reveals the pathetic state of the spiral of lawlessness, lack of supervision, and negligence in Turkey. This spiral, as a whole, also points to the corruption in the social and political system. Imagine a hotel; additions are made that are contrary to the project plan. Over 300 people are staying at the hotel. However, in terms of health and safety, existing regulations are not followed. For example, the hotel, which is surrounded by wood, does not have the fire escapes that should be on all 4 sides. Fire safety standards have not been met. Mandatory “risk analyses” in terms of health, safety, and technical aspects have not been conducted. The municipality's authority for inspection and control has been pruned. Again, in this process, we witnessed a situation where ethical principles and transparency were absent, administrative, legal, and bureaucratic chaos reigned between central and local governments, and opportunism, political patronage, and greed/profit ambition were intertwined. The accounts of eyewitnesses and staff, as well as expert reports, prove that the fire disaster was coming right before our eyes. Once again, we were ashamed of our humanity because of this tragic catastrophe.

In Turkey, as after every disaster, the subject is heatedly discussed in the media. Experts are remembered. Measures are talked about. Palliative news, comments, and evaluations are made that are narrow in scope and do not see the whole picture. The culprit and the responsible party are sought. The lack of inspection and control is mentioned. The central authority blames the local government (municipality); the local government blames the central authority. The subject is politicized by being torn from its real context. The politicization of the subject makes it difficult to address the problem in the light of reason and science with a holistic approach. The process follows a vicious circle like this and is forgotten after a while.

As in the Kartalkaya example and in all disasters in general, in order to live in the chaotic, frightening, and unpredictable world of the future, we must become a more conscious, self-reflexive, and “risk-conscious society,” as Beck puts it. The most important element in increasing social and systemic resilience against disasters is the development of disaster awareness. For this, preventive behaviors must turn into a distinct “social and cultural behavioral norm” before a disaster occurs. In other words, it is essential that a disaster culture is formed in society. It should not be forgotten that the family and school are important and critical agents in the internalization of this culture by individuals.

In this context, disaster resilience training provided at every level gains great importance for increasing the disaster resilience of segments of society and for them to be prepared for disasters. If sufficient inspections and controls had been carried out and implemented by occupational health and safety experts in advance at the Kartalkaya hotel fire; if fire drills and training had been provided to the hotel staff, we would at least not have faced such a heavy picture.