7 fatal problems, 7 urgent solutions in the Kartalkaya fire tragedy

IPA President Buğra Gökce explained the 7 fatal problems and 7 urgent solutions regarding the fire tragedy in Kartalkaya. Gökce stated, "If the government turns its back on reason and science, the result will be a disaster."

In a statement titled "7 fatal problems, 7 urgent solutions," Gökce said: "We lost 78 of our citizens in the painful disaster we experienced in Bolu. We have experienced one of the heaviest losses in a fire in a single building in the world since 2000. There are 7 important problems that caused us to experience this disaster."

Stating that "engineering, reason, and science protect against fire," Gökce said, "If we want to protect the interests of the public, we must take these steps in legislation as well. If the government turns its back on reason and science, the result will be a disaster."

Buğra Gökce's statements are as follows:

AUTHORITY AND INSPECTION

"1- Authority and Inspection: There is a gap in the inspection of structures and accommodation facilities in adjacent areas by provincial municipalities that are not metropolitan municipalities in terms of fire regulations. For this reason, provincial municipalities cannot inspect the facilities here. When there is no regular inspection, the fire safety of the structures in these regions weakens.

Solution: The fire departments of provincial municipalities should be authorized outside the municipal and adjacent area boundaries, and no license should be issued by provincial special administrations without their approval.

LEGISLATION

2- Legislation: The definition of "existing structure" in the Regulation on the Protection of Buildings from Fire has removed the obligations for fire precautions in old buildings. With the amendment published in the Official Gazette on June 29, 2017, buildings for which a building permit application was made before 2007 and which were completed before that date were accepted as "existing structures." This change leads to the incomplete implementation of fire precautions that should have been taken in the past due to legislative deficiencies.

Solution: Buildings defined as existing structures according to the current legislation but which have deficiencies according to the fire regulation should be given the necessary time to become safe structures by meeting the conditions specified in the fire regulation.

REDUCTION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT POWERS

3- Reduction of Fire Department Powers: With the Council of Ministers decision published in the Official Gazette on April 5, 2012, the requirement for fire departments to provide a favorable opinion was abolished. A provision was introduced stating, "Projects are approved and implemented by the authorities authorized to issue licenses." As a result of this regulation and the circular published by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, the process of fire projects being examined by fire department personnel and occupancy checks being carried out by the fire department was abolished. The fire safety of buildings was compromised.

Solution: No license should be issued for any scale or type of structure, especially those providing public services, without a fire safety report from the fire departments.

EXPANSION OF THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM'S AUTHORITY

4- Expansion of the Ministry of Tourism's Authority: The Ministry of Tourism has gained the authority to issue all kinds of licenses despite not having sufficient equipment and staff. This regulation, which is contrary to the principle that an institution without equipment cannot issue licenses and that the institution issuing the license is responsible for inspection, has created a great risk, especially in terms of touristic accommodation facilities where citizens are gathered in large numbers.

Solution: The abolition of this authority. The implementation of the regulation that no other institution can issue a license without the approval of the Fire Department.

ELECTRONIC DETECTION AND EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS

5- Electronic detection and extinguishing systems: These systems are not present in all buildings where people are gathered in large numbers, such as dormitories, schools, hospitals, hotels, prisons, metro stations, and places of worship.

Solution: These systems should be popularized, a legislative change should be made urgently to ensure their maintenance and annual checks, and checks on whether the systems are fully performing their functions should be carried out at annual intervals by electrical-electronics engineers specialized in this field.

REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND PERIODIC CHECKS

6- Regular maintenance and periodic checks of electrical, electronic installations, kitchens, and chimneys: The most important cause of fires in our country is related to problems in electrical and electronic installations and the maintenance of kitchens and chimneys.

Solution: Inspection and cleaning of kitchens and chimneys by fire departments and accredited organizations, eliminating deficiencies in the 'Regulation on Internal Electrical Installations' so that electrical installations can be installed in accordance with international standards, making the regulations regarding the 'Building Electronic Systems and Installations Operation Officer' compatible with the standards foreseen by the Chamber of Electrical Engineers, and regular inspection and reporting of electrical installations, grounding systems, and lightning protection systems by expert engineers.

REGULAR AND PERIODIC INSPECTION

7- Regular and Periodic Inspection: Regular and periodic inspections of all structures, especially buildings providing public services and places where people are gathered in large numbers, are not carried out after occupancy. For this reason, occupancy conditions are deteriorated with various additions and additional structures.

Solution: Regular and periodic inspections of non-compliances such as illegal additions, additional floors, material changes, failure to keep fire and alarm systems in working order, overloading of electrical and installation systems beyond what is foreseen, and delay or failure to clean chimneys in all structures, especially buildings providing public services, should be carried out, and severe sanctions, including the termination of the commercial enterprise's activities, should be imposed if the reported deficiencies are not resolved within the specified time.

?? 7 FATAL PROBLEMS / 7 URGENT SOLUTIONS

?? We lost 78 of our citizens in the painful disaster we experienced in Bolu. We have experienced one of the heaviest losses in a fire in a single building in the world since 2000. There are 7 important problems that caused us to experience this disaster.

1?? Authority and Inspection:… pic.twitter.com/LQ2Dl30LJj

— Dr. Buğra Gökce (@gokcebugra) January 23, 2025

News Source: 12punto