13.02.2025 14:23
The preliminary investigation report by the inspectors of the Ministry of Interior regarding the fire in Bolu, which claimed the lives of 78 people, has been completed. The report emphasized that the Provincial Special Administration Secretary, Sırrı Köstereli, and his assistant, Bünyamin Bal, bear responsibility for not taking the necessary decisions to timely identify deficiencies related to the inspection and for failing to exercise due diligence.
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In the Grand Kartal Hotel located in the Kartalkaya ski resort, 78 people lost their lives in a fire that broke out on the night of January 21. As part of the investigation, 31 people were detained, while 22 suspects, including Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, Provincial Special Administration Secretary Sırrı Köstereli, hotel owner Halit Ergül, hotel managers, and hotel employees, were arrested. The inspectors affiliated with the Ministry of Interior also completed their preliminary investigation report.
AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED DUE TO NEGLIGENCE
The inspectors conducted a preliminary investigation against Bolu Provincial Special Administration Secretary Sırrı Köstereli, Deputy Secretary Bünyamin Bal, Inspection Director Yeliz Erdoğan, former License and Inspection Director Mehmet Özel, License and Inspection Department Chief Ahmet Karaaslan, food engineer Muhammed Yılmaz, environmental health technician Cemal Yılmaz, and former staff member Davut Akgül, citing negligence in inspections by the Provincial Special Administration.
THE HOTEL HAS BEEN INSPECTED 5 TIMES BY PROVINCIAL SPECIAL ADMINISTRATION TEAMS
The preliminary investigation report prepared after the inspectors' examinations stated that the hotel was issued three separate business opening and operating licenses on November 26, 2007, March 3, 2008, and finally on December 29, 2015. The report also mentioned that the hotel was inspected five times on March 17, 2011, January 28, 2016, January 21, 2019, February 8, 2021, and February 14, 2024, stating, "In these inspections, areas related to hygiene and food safety, such as kitchen sections, food preparation areas, food preservation, drinking and utility water supply analysis report, ventilation system, and personnel hygiene were attempted to be inspected. Since the personnel conducting the inspections were environmental health technicians and food engineers, they carried out inspections related to their fields. It was stated that the Provincial Special Administration could request a new document to understand whether the fire safety measures were up to date, as previously requested from the license holder, or could initiate correspondence with the institution authorized to issue this document without any hindrance."
THE STATEMENT OF THE ARRESTED PROVINCIAL SPECIAL ADMINISTRATION SECRETARY HAS EMERGED
The report also indicated that Bolu Provincial Special Administration Secretary Sırrı Köstereli and Deputy Secretary Bünyamin Bal had legal responsibilities for not taking necessary decisions to timely identify deficiencies related to the inspection and for not exercising due diligence. The statement of Provincial Special Administration Secretary Sırrı Köstereli was also included in the report.
Arrested Provincial Special Administration Secretary Sırrı Köstereli stated in his testimony that no inspections were conducted regarding fire safety:
"Our department, which issues business opening and operating licenses, conducts inspections based on expertise areas throughout the province, including the Grand Kartal Hotel in question. These inspections are carried out according to the regulations regarding business opening and operating licenses. Although there is no inspection regarding fire safety in this inspection, it is understood that a fire department cannot be established by an organization, and it is evident that other Provincial Special Administrations also do not have a fire department. The Kartalkaya region is a tourism development area. There is already a sign indicating that the Grand Kartal Hotel has been inspected by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. I know that inspections are conducted by the licensing department for the businesses to which we have issued business opening and operating licenses. However, it is not possible for me to be aware of the content. I know that inspections are conducted more based on complaints. The vehicle duty orders and assignment approvals for inspections are signed by the deputy secretaries and relevant department heads to whom I have granted authority. I only sign the out-of-province duty approvals. There is no regulation in the legislation stating that the Provincial Special Administration will inspect businesses with a Tourism Operation Certificate. Inspections conducted by the License and Inspection Department in various years have been carried out based on forms created by the personnel themselves, focusing more on health, hygiene, and food safety issues. No inspections are conducted regarding zoning and fire safety, and there is no task assigned to our administration in these matters."
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