Dilovası disaster report released: 'Not an accident, but a foreseeable workplace murder fueled by perfume bribes'

In Dilovası, following the explosion at the Ravive Kozmetik factory, which claimed the lives of seven workers, three of whom were children,thelegal report preparedafter the incident exposes the horrific negligence and administrative scandalsbehind the disasterandbrought to light.

According to the report dated December 8, 2025, prepared by the Voice of Lawyers Initiative, the incident was not a simple industrial accident; it was a "massacre" that occurred under the joint responsibility of the employer, the municipality, and regulatory bodies.The report highlights that the tragedy was entirely preventable.

"THE PRIT HOSE AT FAULT: THEEMPLOYER, MUNICIPALITY AND BUILDING OWNERITI"

While the report details the chain of responsibility, the employer of Ravive Kozmetik, the Dilovası Municipality, and the building owner were identified as 'primarily at fault.' According to information based on the prosecutor's preliminary report and expertwitness findings, the explosionwas the result of a 'preventable and foreseeable' chain of negligence.

1. Employer: Possible Intent and Technical Bankruptcy

According to the report,the employer,in order to reduce costs,loweredsafetystandards.vital safety measureswere consciously neglected.It was determined that the factory did not use explosion-proof (ex-proof) electric motors, lacked a grounding line, had inadequate ventilation systems, and did not have automatic firesuppression systemsin place.

Even more gravely, it was found that the employer offered boxes of perfume to municipal inspectionteams arriving in response to CİMER complaints in order to obstruct inspections.gave permissionand the inspection process was manipulated with briberywas included in the report. This situation indicates that the employer's fault was not simple negligence, but at the level of "probable intent"at the level ofit wasshows.

2. DilovasıMunicipality: IrregularLicensing and the “Perfume” Allegation

The report identifies the Dilovası Municipality as another primary perpetrator of the disaster. It was documented that the business was granted a license despite the building lacking an occupancy permit and a fire safety compliance report.

The municipality ignored the factory's Health Protection Zone and EIA report requirementto save frompaper on "Non-sanitary-3" (lowrisk) clclass, whereasit was shownthat, in fact, cosmetic factories were in the 2nd classstatus,it emerged. Furthermore,municipal officials ignored deficiencies during inspections in exchangeforin exchange for perfume from the workplaceand that these perfumes were distributedto local political party organizations, the allegations were described in the report as“gross service misconduct and bribery.”

3. Building Owner: GUnsafe Structure

The building owner, who rented out the property despite knowing it lacked an occupancy permit and essential safety featuressuch as fire escapes, was also found to be primarily at fault.The building owner was also found to be primarily at fault.

CHILD WORKERS AND UNREGISTER ED WOCHILD

The fact that 15-year-olds Cansu E. and Nisanur T., as well as 17-year-old Tuğba T., were among those who lost their lives in the disaster exposed the illegal employment at the factoryto the public eye.

The reporthighlights the use of child labor in chemicalproduction, which is classified as heavy and hazardous work.child laboris completely contrary to the Constitution, the Labor Law, and Turkey's signatory status to ILO conventions (conventions No. 138 and 182), the report emphasized.

Furthermore, it wasdetermined that the workerswere paid below the minimum wage and wereemployed without insurance.

INSPECTIONINSTITUTIONSWEREINSPECTION FAILED

The report does not only hold local actorsnot only the central managementbut also other institutionswere held responsible:

* KocaeliMetropolitanMunicipality: Held indirectly responsible for failing to coordinate fire safety inspections.

* Ministry of Health: It was stated that due to the failure to inspect production facilitiesas required bythe Cosmetics Law, legal, administrative, and even criminal liabilitymust be discussed.

* SSI and İŞKUR: Child laboraccused of failing to inspect child labor and unregistered employment.

"IMPUNITY ISMURDER"In the

concluding section of the report, this incident is described as an "avoidable" tragedy.It was emphasized that it cannot be explained by the principle ofinevitability.It was stated that the employer's greed for profit and the localadministration's lack of oversightcombined to take the lives of 7 workers,and it was noted thatall those responsiblemust be held accountable.for "probable intent" and "misconduct in public office" crimes, it was demanded that they be tried.

The Voice of the Lawyer Initiative stated that theywill follow the legal processand concluded the report with these words: "NoneSo that no worker's life is lost in such a painful way, all those responsible must be held accountable and punished."