Evaluating the building collapse in Gebze that caused the deaths of 4 people from the same family, Occupational Health and Safety Expert Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “Generally, these types of buildings do not collapse on their own. Buildings have static and architectural projects and are constructed with permits from the municipality. However, when these scientific and technical requirements are not adhered to, we unfortunately encounter similar tragedies.”
Warning citizens to be careful about cracks in buildings, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “If there is a crack in the building, a test must be conducted. If a hand or finger can fit into that crack, the building is risky. In this case, the building must be evacuated immediately. For small cracks, there might be a few months' time, but even waiting is risky.”
Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl, Deputy Dean of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences and OHS Expert, evaluated the building collapse in Gebze that caused the deaths of 4 people from the same family.
Such incidents have turned into an “accustomed tragedy”
Stating that similar incidents in Turkey have now turned into an “accustomed tragedy”, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “A similar building collapse incident had previously occurred in Konya. Generally, these types of buildings do not collapse on their own. Buildings have static and architectural projects and are constructed with permits from the municipality. However, when these scientific and technical requirements are not adhered to, we unfortunately encounter similar tragedies.”
Column cutting might be involved!
Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl stated that column cutting is the most critical reason in many collapse incidents in Turkey, saying, “We frequently witness columns being cut to expand an area below, to create a car dealership or a bakery. In doing so, we disrupt the building’s existing statics. The weakening on the side of the cut column can cause the building to lose its resistance and collapse with minor earthquakes or ground movements. I am not saying this happened here, but my opinion suggests the suspicion that column cutting was involved here as well.”
There are deficiencies in inspections too!
Noting that such violations are not limited to just the contractor or building owner, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “We fall short in inspections. We either don't have enough inspection personnel, or the existing conditions can be changed after the inspection is completed. For example, in a building that should have two escape routes according to fire regulations, we can later see a staircase being incorporated into an apartment. These types of situations are a fatal negligence. The prosecutor's office has already taken up the case. The outcome will be clear after that investigation. We need to learn from our mistakes. We constantly experience such incidents. Every year, one or two buildings collapse on their own.”
If Hagia Sophia stands, why should our buildings collapse?
Emphasizing that a building being “old” cannot be the sole reason for its collapse, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “People immediately ask if the building is old. However, if Hagia Sophia Mosque is still standing, if Sultanahmet Mosque is still standing, a 50-year-old building cannot be 'old'. The only problem is that we either do not construct buildings to the desired standards or we later compromise their statics.”
Cracks give warnings…
Warning citizens to be careful about cracks in buildings, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “If there is a crack in the building, a test must be conducted. If a hand or finger can fit into that crack, the building is risky. In this case, the building must be evacuated immediately. For small cracks, there might be a few months' time, but even waiting is risky. Urban transformation needs to accelerate. A solution must be found for this as soon as possible. Core tests can be performed by applying to municipalities. This test measures the strength of the concrete. C25 and above strength is required, but especially in buildings from before the 90s, the concrete quality turns out to be very low. An evacuation decision is made for buildings that fail the test, but citizens hesitate to have these tests done due to the fear of 'where will we go'.”
“There is negligence, but in whom it lies will be revealed by investigation”
Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl stated that it would be premature to make a definitive judgment specifically on the Gebze incident, but there is clear negligence, saying, “No building collapses on its own out of the blue. Even contractors of buildings that collapse during earthquakes are prosecuted. This means there is negligence. But in whom does the negligence lie? Was a column cut, what kind of material was used when the building was constructed, who inspected it — all of these will be revealed by the prosecutor's investigation. There is negligence, but in whom it lies will be revealed by investigation.”
