14.05.2025 20:11
A firefighter who was arrested in connection with the deaths of his estranged wife and their two children in a house fire in Aydın's Nazilli district has been released. In his statement, the firefighter mentioned that he sent messages to his wife saying, "Call someone to check the smell," referring to a gas odor in the house, but she did not respond. He also stated, "I did not smell any natural gas, soot, or smoke."
In Aydın's Nazilli district, statements have emerged from the firefighter who was arrested in connection with the deaths of his estranged wife and their two children in a fire that broke out in their home in March, and his fiancée, who was released under judicial control.
FIREFIGHTER RELEASED
In the investigation conducted by the Nazilli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, firefighter Turgay Gezgin, who was arrested yesterday, stated in his testimony at the prosecutor's office that he and his wife had previously decided to separate, but they reconciled due to family interference, and their relationship deteriorated again. Gezgin, who mentioned that he consumed alcohol outside at night and did not visit home often, explained that on the night of the incident, he was on the balcony while his wife was in the living room.
"MY WIFE SAID SHE SMELLED NATURAL GAS"
Gezgin stated, "While I was on the balcony, my wife Fatma sent me a message via WhatsApp around 03:30, mentioning that there was a smell of natural gas. Upon this, I checked the natural gas pipes and line, but I did not smell anything. We had renovations done about 10-15 days ago, but I did not smell anything again. I remember that before the call to prayer, my wife went to the kitchen to prepare sahur because she was fasting. I also left the house to change my clothes and go to the fire station. At that time, she was in the kitchen."
"I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS"
After staying at the fire station for a while, Gezgin mentioned that he went home to get his coat from the house and to buy pastries from Uzun Çarşı, stating, "At that time, the key was with me. The key to the outer door of the apartment and the key to the inner apartment door were on the same keychain. I usually open the outer door with a code. I do not remember how I opened it that day. Around 07:00, I opened the apartment door and went out after taking my coat. At that time, I did not smell any natural gas, soot, or smoke. I did not see anything suspicious. I put on my coat and left the building, then went back to the fire station."
"I GENERALLY DID NOT RESPOND TO MY WIFE'S MESSAGES"
Gezgin explained that when he first arrived at the fire station, he saw the messages his wife sent him saying, "Don't come home too late, let's go to the market, when people wake up, will you call the landlord or the person who installed the natural gas, call someone, check for the smell," but he did not respond, claiming that he generally left his wife's messages unanswered.
"I DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING"
Gezgin stated that he called his wife several times around 07:45, and when she did not answer the phone, he went home, saying: "At that time, it was around 08:00. I encountered my neighbor while going upstairs. He was also leaving his apartment. When I reached the apartment door, I did not smell anything. I realized that I did not have my key with me. I tried to open it with a card, but I couldn't. I rang the doorbell, knocked on the door, and waited after knocking about 3-4 times. If I had knocked every two minutes, it would have taken about 8-10 minutes. While I was knocking on the door upstairs, I heard my neighbor leaving from the apartment in the basement. After a while, I also went out. I did not hear or see anyone else."
"I DO NOT HAVE THE LUXURY TO LIE"
In response to the prosecutor's question, "In your previous statements, you said you last came home at 07:00 to get your coat, but now you say you came around 08:00-08:10 and stayed in front of the apartment for about 10 minutes. What do you say about the contradiction?" Gezgin replied, "I do not have the luxury to lie. There are cameras everywhere; I may not have remembered this issue in the statements I gave at the prosecutor's office or the police station."
SENT MESSAGES SAYING "BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN"
Gezgin stated that after going to the market, he returned home after his neighbor called him, wanting to enter but could not due to the thick smoke. The prosecutor asked Gezgin about the messages sent by his fiancée, suspect F. T, before the incident, saying "bad things will happen." In response to the question, Gezgin said, "My feelings are strong. In different events, good or bad things have occurred as a result of my feelings. Regarding the divorce, I told her that I would divorce. I mentioned that there was a case, but I did not say that the case was a divorce case; it could be a file I witnessed."
"I HAVE BAD FEELINGS"
F. T, who was taken for questioning, stated that after the incident, her family and friends told her that Gezgin did not go to the cemetery, and Gezgin had expressed to her that he did not believe his children were dead.
F. T, who stated that she got engaged to Gezgin on May 11, continued: "About 10-15 days before this incident, he told me, 'I have bad feelings, something like an earthquake or death will happen, it will affect me.' One day before the incident, he told me, 'I have a divorce case tomorrow, this will end.' I told him, 'My divorce took 8 years; it doesn't happen that quickly.' He said to me, 'Mine will happen; we talked and agreed, everything will end.'"
"I BLOCKED HIM MANY TIMES"
After he said these words both 10-15 days ago and one day ago, I became suspicious of him after this incident. I told him, 'I am suspicious of you; I do not want to meet.' I blocked him many times, but he convinced me verbally. Although I continued to meet him after being convinced, I did not trust him from that incident onward. My suspicions regarding the incident continued."
REQUESTED MEDICATION THAT REQUIRES HEAVY SLEEP
It was learned that Gezgin went to a veterinarian one day before the incident and requested "medication that requires heavy sleep." Additionally, the autopsy report from Adnan Menderes University Hospital stated that the cause of death for his mother and two children was due to carbon monoxide, but samples taken for detailed autopsy were sent to the Izmir Forensic Medicine Institution.
WHAT HAPPENED?
A fire broke out in Turgay Gezgin's house in Yeşil Mahalle on March 18, resulting in the deaths of his wife Fatma Gezgin and their two children, aged 4 and 11.
Turgay Gezgin was reported to be out of the house during the incident. Turgay Gezgin, who was taken into custody regarding the incident, was arrested, while his fiancée F. T. was released under judicial control.