Deficiencies in fire safety led to disaster!

Haber ile ilişkili SDG etiketleri

DOI : https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.58261

Dr. Nuri Bingöl, an Occupational Health and Safety Expert, evaluated the hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya that claimed the lives of 78 people, 36 of whom were children, and discussed fire safety measures. He stated, “Detectors provide the opportunity for rapid response to fires. These systems issue warnings at the very early stages, usually within 15 seconds. With a sound level exceeding 90 decibels, they notify everyone, thus offering a significant time advantage for evacuation.”

Addressing the issue of inspections, Dr. Bingöl remarked, “If inspections were conducted, there would not be any shortcomings. Warning systems need to be operational. Sprinkler systems must also be functional. If we discover that these systems are not working during a fire, the building's permit may need to be revoked. Unfortunately, we do not have such inspections in place.”

Evaluating the hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya, which caused the death of 78 people, 36 of whom were children, and addressing the issue of fire safety, Occupational Health and Safety Specialist Asst. Prof. Nuri Bingöl stated: "Detectors enable rapid response to fires. These systems provide an alert usually within 15 seconds during the initial stages. With a sound above 90 decibels, they notify everyone, offering a significant time advantage for evacuation."

Inspections could prevent deficiencies

Touching on the issue of inspections, Dr. Bingöl emphasized, "If inspections were conducted, deficiencies wouldn not exist. Warning systems must be operational. Sprinkler systems must be functional. If we discover that these systems are not working during a fire, the building's permit should be revoked. However, we lack such inspections."

As the Vice Dean of Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist, Dr. Bingöl evaluated the hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya and the issue of fire safety.

Reinforced concrete structures come to mind first when thinking of fire resistance

 Explaining that fire consists of combustible material, oxygen, and an ignition source, Dr. Bingöl noted that when it comes to fire-resistant materials, reinforced concrete structures are the first to come to mind. He added that non-combustible methods like plaster or mortar can be applied to such structures, and glass is also considered fire-resistant, making it a preferred choice for such buildings.

Incorrect applications on exterior facades pose serious risks

Highlighting the importance of materials used on exterior facades, wood elements, and carpets in terms of fire safety, Dr. Bingöl stated, "The type of carpet is crucial. Flammable carpets can ignite even from a simple cigarette ash. Carpets that are flame-resistant should be used. Incorrect applications on exterior facades pose serious dangers. According to Turkey's Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings, materials are classified as A1 non-combustible or A2 flame-resistant based on their fire safety. Aluminum exterior claddings are difficult to ignite, but once they catch fire, they are hard to extinguish because it transitions to metal combustion. Some applications are supported with non-combustible materials like rock wool to prevent internal spread. We also see wood cladding on exterior facades, like those at Kartalkaya. These materials are flame-resistant but still burn when ignited. Even though they are flame-resistant, they burned."

Detectors allow quick fire response

Referring to the Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings, Dr. Bingöl underlined, "There are provisions related to the building's height and usage capacity. One of these is early warning and detection systems. Detectors, in particular, allow rapid response to fires. These systems alert within 15 seconds during the initial stages. With a sound exceeding 90 decibels, they notify everyone, providing a significant time advantage for evacuation. Fires progress horizontally for about one and a half to two minutes before accelerating and growing abnormally. The time available for escaping a fire may be around one and a half to two minutes, though this can vary depending on the type of combustible material and may be extended or shortened."

Fans should push air down escape stairs

Emphasizing the critical importance of escape systems, Dr. Bingöl explained, "Depending on the building's usage pattern, a structure with 500 people should have at least three escape exits, and for a larger capacity, four exits are needed. Corridor widths should be planned at 2 to 2.5 meters to allow comfortable movement during evacuation. Escape staircases should be designed with positive pressurization to prevent hot smoke from filling the stairs. Fans should push air down from above so that people can escape safely. When these systems are absent, disasters like this occur."

Extinguishing systems can extinguish fires with 96.7% success

 Pointing out that some fires grow rapidly, Dr. Bingöl stressed, "Automatic extinguishing systems are a critical safety measure that must be present in buildings such as hotels. However, the absence or malfunction of these systems creates a major disadvantage. Extinguishing systems can extinguish fires with a 96.7% success rate. If they cannot extinguish the fire, they suppress its spread and gain critical time for firefighters to arrive."

Evacuation could not be done quickly

 Noting that some of the victims in the Kartalkaya fire were found trying to dress in their rooms, Dr. Bingöl commented, "It seems they lost time there. Therefore, evacuation could not be done quickly. Escape routes could not be found. When smoke fills the air and visibility is reduced to nothing amid high temperatures, it becomes impossible to leave the room. Hence, escape staircases are extremely important."

The hotel is reinforced concrete, but interior materials are problematic

 Dr. Bingöl reminded that while the hotel was a reinforced concrete building, its exterior facade was made of wood treated with insulation material. He added, "They soak the wood in chemicals for 5-6 hours to make it less flammable, reducing its heat conductivity. This is commonly done in Bolu. However, the interior materials are problematic. There are wood panels inside, which are highly flammable and increase the fire load."

A regulatory change is needed

Addressing the issue of inspections, Dr. Bingöl continued, "If inspections were conducted, deficiencies would not exist. Warning systems must be operational. Sprinkler systems must be operational. If these systems are found to be non-functional during a fire, the building’s permit should be revoked. However, we lack such inspections. Once a building gets its permit, no one checks it again. The Ministry of Tourism oversees inspections, but the fire department and police cannot inspect these places. The Ministry of Tourism merely checks for a fire department report. They pull out the report issued earlier, even if modifications or changes have been made, or the systems have not undergone periodic maintenance. No one knows. An announcement was made saying there were fire compliance reports for 2021 and 2024. However, the Ministry of Tourism does not inspect whether the system is operational. The fire department issues a report, and everyone relies on it. Sometimes, the report is only about the cafeteria or something else. Therefore, we need a regulatory change. Just as we have periodic inspections for vehicles every two years at TÜVTÜRK stations, the fire department should conduct such inspections periodically.”

A mechanism for inspections needs to be established

Dr. Bingöl suggested that the Ministry of Tourism may need to establish a mechanism to oversee fire safety inspections, adding, "Currently, inspections are conducted under the supervision of municipal fire departments until a building receives its occupancy or operational permit. Inspections must be conducted periodically. A mechanism for inspections needs to be established," he concluded.

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)