In the building that collapsed in Gebze, the lifeless body of one person has been found.

29.10.2025 14:31

In the seven-story building that collapsed in Gebze, the lifeless body of a male child has been found. The Deputy Minister of Interior, Mehmet Aktaş, who announced the sad news, stated, "We are hearing the voice of one woman from the rubble. 627 people are searching for the family trapped in the debris."

While the search and rescue operations continue in the collapsed 7-story building in the Gebze district of Kocaeli, the heartbreaking news was given by Deputy Minister of Interior Mehmet Aktaş.

Deputy Minister Aktaş reported that the lifeless body of 12-year-old Emir Bilir was found in the rubble of the building, stating, "We are receiving a woman's voice from the rubble. 627 people are searching for the family in the debris," he said.

SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE

Search and rescue operations are being carried out in the collapsed building in the Gebze district. The 7-story building on Issıkgöl Street in Mevlana Neighborhood collapsed for an unknown reason. Upon notification, police, fire brigade, AFAD, and health teams were dispatched to the area. The teams that started search and rescue in the rubble are continuing listening activities with the participation of a search dog.

ACTIVITY IN THE RUBBLE AREA

While it was stated that a voice was heard from one person in the rubble, silence announcements are being made from time to time in the area. It was expressed that the teams are focusing on two points in the rubble, and a life corridor has been established.

THE LIFLESS BODY OF ONE PERSON HAS BEEN REACHED

Deputy Minister of Interior Mehmet Aktaş reported that the lifeless body of 12-year-old Emir Bilir was found in the rubble of the building. Aktaş said, "There is a woman's voice. The efforts are concentrated in that area."

9 BUILDINGS SEALED

Citizens living in 9 buildings near the collapsed building were evacuated from their homes. The 9 buildings were sealed by the municipal police.

IDENTITIES OF THOSE UNDER THE RUBBLE HAVE BEEN REVEALED

Search and rescue operations continue for Levent Bilir (44), his wife Emine Bilir (37), and their children; Emir (12), Nisa (14), and Dilara Bilir (18), who are trapped under the rubble. It was learned that the family was renting the apartment.

AKTAŞ: THERE IS NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE

Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş stated in a live broadcast on NTV that there is no information about the cause of the collapse. Aktaş said, "Our first priority is to rescue those under the rubble. There are people living in the building, but we have confirmed 5 people. We do not have complete data." While the operations continue, Governor Aktaş, who made a statement to reporters at the scene, said that the family in the rubble lived on the second floor.

"EVACUATED AS A PRECAUTION"

Aktaş said, "All teams are working. 375 of our friends are continuing search and rescue operations. We hope to reach them safely in a short time. Although nothing has been detected in the buildings during the operation, we evacuated our 9 buildings. It was completely precautionary."

LICENSED IN 2012

Gebze Mayor Zinnur Büyükgöz stated that the collapsed building was licensed in 2012 and received occupancy in 2013, saying, "The building has a one-year construction period. There are 3 duplex apartments and a pharmacy underneath." Büyükgöz reminded that there was a family of 5 inside, saying, "The mother and father are in one room, and the 3 children are in another room."

"THE LEFT SIDE HAS COLLAPSED"

Murat Altunorak, President of the ANKA Search and Rescue Association, made evaluations in a live broadcast on NTV. Altunorak stated that there was a collapse on the left side of the building and that the building collapsed due to that collapse. Altunorak said, "The columns and beams are standing. We can say that one floor was not built properly. That is why the building collapsed. If it had collapsed due to the subsidence on the ground, the image would not be like this."

PHARMACY OWNER: NO CRACKS IN THE COLUMNS

The owner of the pharmacy located under the collapsed building is also watching the rubble work. Uğur Aydın, the owner of the pharmacy, provided information to reporters about the building. Aydın said, "The upper part of the building is 2 stories, there was no one there. There was also no one under the building. On the middle floor, there was our friend Levent and his family."

Aydın stated that they have been operating a pharmacy in the building for 10 years, saying, "Most likely, the building was built 2-3 years before we came. There are no cracks inside the building." Aydın mentioned that although it looks like a column has fallen in the footage, it is not a column, but only the aluminum has bent, saying, "I shone a light inside, there are no cracks in any part of the column. I went to the back, there are no cracks. I went to the basement, I looked at the columns there, there are no cracks. There was no problem in any of the columns."

"THEY STUCK LABELS ON OUR BUILDINGS"

Hasan Durubaba, who lives in the adjacent building to the collapsed building, recounted the demolition and the events that followed. Durubaba said, "When we got up for the morning prayer, we saw that the adjacent building had collapsed with a loud noise. When we ran over, the building was completely tilted." Durubaba mentioned that a friend lived in the building, saying, "He is a local of our neighborhood. He lives with his wife and 3 children. There is a married couple on the upper floor. They were not home. There is also the owner of the building on the upper floor. They were not home either."

Durubaba mentioned that there is a metro construction in the area, saying, "The metro construction passes under our buildings. It also passes under my building. They have stuck labels on our buildings. They come every 15 days to check if there is any inclination."

"HOPEFULLY, A MIRACLE WILL HAPPEN"

Rabia Bilir, the sister of Levent Bilir, expressed her sadness about the incident. Bilir said, "How can such a thing happen? I was going to come on Friday, we were going to celebrate. Am I coming here with such news? As far as we know, it is a new building, I can't comprehend how it happened. That building is standing, ours is gone."

"My brother, my sister-in-law, and my 3 nephews were at home. My brother Levent, my sister-in-law Emine, and my nephews were 18, 14, and 12 years old."

Rabia Bilir, who said, "Emir was alone in the room, his siblings were in the same room. Emir was in the room on the side where the building collapsed. What is he doing now? I can't comprehend. I hope there will be a miracle," stated.

"I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I SAW THE BUILDING"

Aysel Aslan, the landowner of the collapsed building and a resident there, stated that she was in the village yesterday, saying, "Someone called me in the morning, and I came right away. I was shocked to see the building like this. I am in shock right now."

PROPERTY RECORD OF THE COLLAPSED BUILDING

The building, which has a land registry area of 175 square meters, is registered as "7-story reinforced concrete office, workplace, and land." The building, which has condominium ownership, contains 4 independent sections, while the ground floor was used as "Ground Floor with Basement Storage and Mezzanine Workplace," the 1st and 2nd floors were duplex residences, the 3rd and 4th floors were duplex residences, and the 5th floor was used as an attic apartment with a piece.