24.07.2025 11:44
In the forest fire in Seyitgazi, Eskişehir, 10 people were martyred. A witness claimed that during the firefighting efforts, the officials who were caught in the flames took refuge in a cave, but the fire changed direction and engulfed the cave, resulting in the team losing their lives there.
The heart of Turkey burned with the news of 10 martyrs from the fire in Seyitgazi, Eskişehir. Eyewitnesses claimed that the officials trapped during the extinguishing efforts took refuge in a cave, and later the fire changed direction and surrounded the cave.
According to the statement made by an eyewitness; "I asked the 112 Emergency team. The fire surrounded nine people. While the children were saying 'let's escape', they entered the cave. They were poisoned by smoke there. The 112 team removed 9 bodies from the cave. The other 2 martyrs are from Seyitgazi and Kümbet. They found them burned, embracing each other." he said.
AKUT BOARD CHAIRMAN HAD STATED THAT THE TEAM WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAVE Hours before the news of the 10 martyrs came, AKUT Board Chairman Barış Altan Doğan had stated that the fire extinguishing team was trapped in the cave. In that statement, Doğan said, "Friends are in the cave. They are trapped in the middle of the fire in the forest area. We are currently trying to reach them. Communication via radio and phone is not possible in the area where the fire is. Despite setting up a relay, we could not communicate via radio. Currently, we have friends we cannot reach. Regarding them, work has been initiated by the Ministry, especially by the General Staff. Vehicles and planes are coming for aerial interventions. We are also waiting for news right now. It is said that there is drone footage indicating they took refuge in the cave. There is no confirmed information about that. We are waiting right now." he stated.
IDENTITIES OF THE MARTYRS HAVE BEEN REVEALED On the other hand, the identities of the forest workers and AKUT volunteers who became martyrs while trapped in the flames have been revealed. In the fire, Sercan Utmi, Hilmi Şahin, Eyip Dereli, Tolunay Kocaman, Enes Kızılyel, Muharrem Can, İlker Onarıcı, Tekin Enes Sarıyıldız, Bayram Eren Arslan, and Alperen Özcan became martyrs.
MINISTER YUMAKLI: THEY WERE TRAPPED IN THE FIRE DUE TO THE CHANGING WIND Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated, "11 major fires broke out in our country, and we fought against the fires by combating extraordinary heat and changing winds. There is no problem with 4 of these fires. However, regarding the fire that started in Seyitgazi, Eskişehir and spread to Afyon, 24 people, including 19 forest workers and 5 AKUT members, were suddenly trapped in the fire due to the changing wind. Currently, 14 of our friends are being treated in different hospitals without major problems. However, unfortunately, we lost 5 forest worker brothers and 5 AKUT worker brothers. We are fighting against 7 fires, including 2 in Sakarya, 2 in Karabük, 1 in Manisa, 1 in Eskişehir, and 1 that started in Sakarya and reached the Bilecik border. Extraordinary heat and weather changes await us starting tomorrow. 86 million citizens need to be extra careful. I cannot find any other words to say, we have been talking about this since June 1, very high temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity have turned this into more than a simple forest fire. We lost 10 brothers like saplings, may our nation's head be healthy." he said.
THE LEADER OF THE TEAM THAT SAW THE MARTYRS NARRATED THOSE MOMENTS It has emerged that the Odunpazarı Municipality Search and Rescue (OBAK) team left the area where 5 forest workers and 5 AKUT members who became martyrs during the intervention of the forest fire that started in Seyitgazi district and reached near Sarıcaova village in İhsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar.
"WE SAID LET'S GO, THEY WERE INTERVENING" OBAK team leader Ercan Temel stated in his explanation that the mentioned team was intervening in the fire in a nearby area.
Temel, who noted that his team was also fighting the flames in the same region, said, "As we were coming from above, they were in a fire truck below. We said 'let's go', they were intervening there. They tried to escape upwards, and they died there." he said.
"WE WISH OUR CONDOLENCES TO OUR NATION" In a statement made by the Eskişehir Governorship, it was stated, "We wish God's mercy on the 5 AKUT and 5 forest workers who became martyrs during the intervention of the fire that started in Eskişehir and continued near Sarıcaova village in İhsaniye district of Afyonkarahisar, and we extend our condolences to their families and our esteemed nation."