Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban said that the death toll in an explosion at a restaurant in Torbalı district has risen to 5 and 57 injured people are in 4 different hospitals.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Elban stated that one of the wounded in the hospital lost his life.
Noting that the death toll has risen to 5, Elban stated that there are 57 wounded in 4 different hospitals.
“We have a friend who is in a serious condition among the injured, but we assess that he is not in life-threatening danger,” Elban said, adding, “We have taken measures for the temporary accommodation of our citizens living in the damaged buildings. We will accommodate those who wish to stay in our various hotels in our district. Apart from that, we have started the work on food and housing. On the other hand, our 2 prosecutors are carrying out their work both in the field, in the field and in hospitals.”
Governor Elban noted that various institutions such as AFAD, health teams, gendarmerie, fire brigade are continuing their work and said, “Our friends from Environment and Urbanization are working on the health and damage status of the buildings. When the studies are completed, we will announce which buildings have problems and which ones technically do not.”
On the question of whether there was negligence, Elban said, “For the moment, a multi-faceted investigation is ongoing. Whether there is negligence or a problem will be revealed after a multi-faceted investigation.”
Elban added that the incident affected both those in the restaurant and those in the neighborhood.
Governor Elban was accompanied by AK Party Izmir MP Mahmut Atilla Kaya.
“The explosion was violent”
Fevzi Çakmak Neighborhood Headman Hasan Macit told reporters that he came to the scene when he heard the sound of an explosion and that they tried to help the injured.
Stating that the explosion was violent, Macit said, “Demirciköy mukhtar called me and said there was an explosion. That place is 5-6 kilometers away from us. They heard it from there and came here. They were making şırdan and food where the explosion happened.”
One person in custody
According to the information received, within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Torbalı Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, a detention warrant was issued for H.C., who replaced the cylinder of the workplace where the explosion occurred yesterday.
Gendarmerie teams detained H.C. at his home in Ayrancılar neighborhood.
The interrogation of the suspect at the gendarmerie continues.
Statement by Interior Minister Yerlikaya on the explosion at a restaurant in Izmir
In a statement made on his social media account, Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya stated that an explosion occurred in a restaurant in Fevzi Çakmak Neighborhood, which, according to initial determinations, was caused by an industrial cylinder.
Stating that 2 vehicles and 9 personnel from Izmir Provincial AFAD, 8 ambulances, 2 UMKE teams and 36 personnel from the Provincial Directorate of Health were dispatched to the scene, Yerlikaya reported that 4 people lost their lives and 35 people were injured in the explosion.
Minister Yerlikaya stated that the investigation into the matter is ongoing and the public will be informed about the developments.
Security camera footage of the moment of the explosion was also included in Yerlikaya’s post.
Justice Minister Tunç announces judicial investigation into explosion in Izmir
In his post on his social media account, Minister Tunç used the following statements:
“A judicial investigation has been initiated by the Torbalı Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the explosion in a restaurant in Torbalı district of Izmir, and 2 public prosecutors have been assigned under the coordination of the Torbalı Chief Public Prosecutor. The investigation is being carried out meticulously.”
Tunç wished God’s mercy to the citizens who lost their lives in the explosion and a speedy recovery to the injured.
Statement by Minister of Labor and Social Security Işıkhan on the explosion in Izmir
Minister of Labor and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan announced that Ministry inspectors have been assigned to investigate the explosion at a restaurant in Torbalı district of Izmir.
In a post on his social media account, Minister Işıkhan stated that they are deeply saddened by the explosion and used the following expressions:
“Inspectors from our Ministry have been assigned to investigate the accident and necessary investigations will be carried out. As the Ministry, we are closely following the process. I wish God’s mercy to our citizens who lost their lives in the explosion and a speedy recovery to our wounded.”
Statement by Minister of Family and Social Services Göktaş on the explosion in Izmir
In his post on his social media account, Minister Göktaş used the following expressions:
“I wish God’s mercy to our citizens who lost their lives in the explosion in Izmir and patience to their families. Our psychosocial support teams have arrived at the scene and started psychosocial support activities for our citizens and their relatives affected by the explosion. May God grant a speedy recovery to our injured citizens.”
Condolence message from Minister Tekin for those who lost their lives in the explosion in Izmir
In his post on his social media account, Minister Tekin used the following expressions:
“I wish mercy from Allah Almighty to our citizens who lost their lives as a result of a tragic explosion in a workplace in Torbalı district of Izmir, patience to their relatives, and a speedy recovery to those who were injured. May Allah protect our nation from all kinds of accidents and disasters.”
AFAD Head Memiş made a statement on the explosion in a restaurant in Izmir
Okay Memiş, Head of Disaster and Emergency Management (AFAD), said, “Our teams affiliated to the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change have made their first inspections and determined that the building where the explosion occurred was heavily damaged.”
Memiş inspected the area where the explosion occurred in Torbalı’s Ayrancılar neighborhood and received information from Torbalı District Governor Ercan Öter.
Memiş, who met with citizens, told reporters that 5 people lost their lives and 63 citizens were injured in the explosion.
Wishing God’s mercy to those who lost their lives, Memiş said, “The number of injured is high, but we have 9-10 injured people in the hospital. According to the information we received from health workers, they are not in life-threatening condition. Hopefully, they are expected to be discharged until the morning.”
Memiş stated that after the incident, 50 personnel from AFAD Izmir Provincial Directorate, health and gendarmerie teams, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality fire brigade teams and Torbalı Municipality teams intervened in the incident and noted the following:
“Unfortunately, due to the effect of the pressure in the first moment, we have determined that our citizens passing by coincidentally lost their lives. Since our gendarmerie has tightened its supervision and measures, we will ensure controlled entry and exit to and from the buildings. In fact, we can say that we have completely banned it at certain points and our gendarmerie will continue these controls at the entrance of each building until the morning if necessary. In the following process, as you can see in the background, damages and damages to the buildings due to the violence of the explosion have been identified. Our teams from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change have made their first inspections and determined that the building where the explosion occurred is heavily damaged. Other determinations will continue in the morning. We will hopefully determine the damages of our brothers and sisters living and residing here and the tradesmen, and we will endeavor to eliminate these damages during the day, if possible, if the determination is completed.”
Memiş said that as AFAD, they are always with the citizens, and that AFAD teams have been working overtime in Izmir due to the fires that broke out for 2 days.
Stating that all the means of the state have been mobilized to extinguish forest fires, Memiş said, “We are at the disposal of all our citizens under the coordination and with the great support of Mr. President, with the coordination of our Minister of Interior and all our ministries. Of course, these fires have increased a lot all over the world. It is also considered to be the result of climate change. I mean, there are also in neighboring countries. There are also in Greece and other countries. I would like to emphasize that a very serious effort is being made to intervene before they grow.”
AK Party Izmir Deputy Mahmut Atila Kaya, Torbalı Mayor Övünç Demir, AFAD Disaster Response General Manager Sadi Ergin also attended the visit.
