Ground conditions blamed for deadly Gebze building collapse, says deputy minister

KOCAELİ

The collapse of a seven-story apartment building that killed four members of a family in the northwestern city of Kocaeli’s Gebze district was caused by ground instability, according to the deputy environment minister.

“An examination of the structure shows that the ground beneath the building subsided, leading to the collapse. The building had undergone construction supervision, so it appears that the ground conditions played a major role,” said Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Deputy Minister Ömer Bulut.

Investigations will comprehensively determine the building’s structural status and the characteristics of the ground, he added.

The collapse of the building on Oct. 29 killed Levent and Emine Bilir and their two children, while their 18-year-old daughter, Dilara Bilir, was rescued alive after nearly eight hours under the rubble.

Following the incident, 21 nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

According to Bulut, around 1,200 buildings in the area had been inspected, with only the structure adjacent to the collapsed one found to have significant damage.