Expert inspection in the trial for the fire that caused 29 deaths in Beşiktaş

On Tuesday, April 2, a fire broke out in a nightclub located in the basement of a 16-story building in Beşiktaş, claiming the lives of 29 people. As the judicial process continues, the 33rd High Criminal Court, where the case is being heard, decided to conduct an on-site inspection. The expert committee arrived at the nightclub at 10:00 today to carry out their examination. The crime scene investigation team and the fire department team were also present alongside the court delegation during the proceedings. While the inspections continued inside, lawyers for the parties and relatives of those who lost their lives in the incident followed the work from outside.

'THERE WAS NO NEED FOR AN EXPERT'

According to the report by DHA, Emine Kaya Baş, the wife of Özkan Baş who lost his life in the fire, stated: “There is not even a need for an expert; there isn't a single safety measure inside. This isn't even just negligence. 29 people died in the heart of Istanbul. No one brought this to the media or did anything. We see many things in the courts. We were normal people in our homes. The court sessions are very difficult and very frustrating. The opposing side does not behave properly at all, especially the lawyer Engin Çelebi; I mean, we are experiencing incredible frustration. There is both pain and loss, and on top of that, we are dealing with these people and feeling alone. I mean, when I go home after court, I cannot lean my back against the sofa. I am always worried, always anxious, and I can never get over these court cases.

How many people needed to die for this state, for the Beşiktaş Municipality, for all of them? The CHP is nowhere to be seen, it's their own municipality. Not one person came out and said, 'We wouldn't show mercy even if it were our own flesh and blood.' I expected that from them. There is negligence by the institutions; there is no occupational safety expert inside. Not a single fire extinguisher worked, no sprinklers, no irrigation, no occupational safety expert at the helm. There is nothing at all. They say this, they say that, but what is the result? Our loved ones died of suffocation within two or three minutes. I don't even know what needs to be done. Members of parliament throw themselves into other events, but no one is here for this incident. My husband left the house 40 minutes before; he arrived either 10 minutes or 5 minutes before. I live very close to here anyway,” she said.