The requested penalty for the 42 defendants involved in the electrical accident in Izmir has been determined.

The investigation into the electricity disaster that Turkey has been talking about for days has been completed, and the requested penalties for 42 defendants have been announced.

On July 12th in Izmir, heavy rain started around 6:00 PM, and 39.7 kilograms of rainfall per square meter was recorded in Bayraklı. Some streets and avenues in Bayraklı and Konak districts were flooded due to the rain, causing difficulties for drivers and pedestrians. Özge Ceren Deniz, a student at Democracy University Faculty of Medicine, who was trying to escape the rain, was electrocuted on a flooded road. İnanç Öktemay (44), who was trying to save her, also got electrocuted and collapsed. Deniz and Öktemay lost their lives at the hospital. İnanç Öktemay was buried in Izmir, and Özge Ceren Deniz was buried in Osmaniye.

SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE EMERGED

A security camera footage showing smoke coming out of a drain on January 9th at the scene of the incident has also emerged. It was learned that the situation was reported to the authorities by the surrounding shopkeepers at that time. After the examination conducted at the location where two people died due to electrocution in Izmir, the municipality and the electricity company arrived and started working on a solution. As a result of the work, the cables underground were lowered by 50 centimeters. After the cables were covered by the support municipal services, electricity was restored in the area, and the road was reopened to traffic.

EXPERTS: NEGLIGENCE OF BOTH INSTITUTIONS

Meanwhile, a preliminary report prepared by the expert stated that a cable belonging to a power supply circuit got stuck in a rain drainage grate and was damaged, and it was stated that the phase-ground fault in this section caused the deaths. The report emphasized that the cables belonging to the power supply circuits were buried at a depth of 36 to 45 centimeters, and this depth decreased to 15 centimeters in the area where the heat was present, almost reaching the accessibility level of the grate. According to the relevant regulation, it was emphasized that this depth should normally be between 60 and 80 centimeters. The report also stated, "The factor that caused the depth of the cable to be reduced to 15 centimeters, which caused such a small burial depth, is believed to be the expansion of the white drainage pipe towards the grate from the adjacent manhole cover and the cancellation of the protective pipe in this section, which is one of the applications of İZSU. It has been concluded that the fact that the cables were buried at a depth of 36 to 45 centimeters is the result of the practices of GDZ Elektrik, and it is believed that the negligence of both institutions is the main reason."

13 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED

As part of the investigation, 14 out of 30 people who were initially detained were arrested. It was stated that one of the two suspects for whom an arrest warrant was issued was undergoing cancer treatment, and one suspect was abroad. Zekeriya T., one of the arrested defendants, was later released under judicial control.

11 more people were issued arrest warrants as part of the ongoing investigation. On July 26th, Ali Hıdır Köseoğlu, former General Manager of Adana Municipality from İZSU, Gürkan Erdoğan, General Manager, Serdar Sadi, Deputy General Manager, Uğur Yüksel, Distribution General Manager from Gediz Elektrik, Ali Arcan, Metropol Region Manager, Ekrem Yıldırım, Operation Director, Sefa Pişkinleblebici, Planning and Technology Director, Necati Ergin, Construction Works Field Supervisor, Mürsel Arıcı, Construction Works Supervisor Specialist, Alper Doğan, and Halit Özpelit from Gediz Elektrik were detained. All 11 suspects were released under judicial control.

CHAIN OF FAULTS

A new expert report on the incident has also been completed. According to the report prepared by a 5-member expert committee, it was determined that Deniz and Öktemay had no personal fault in the occurrence of the incident. The report concluded that the incident was foreseeable and preventable, and there was no element of inevitability. Accordingly, it was concluded that there were a series of negligence and technical faults, other than Deniz and Öktemay, which caused the incident. The expert report revealed that both institutions failed to take protective and preventive measures at the location where the incident occurred.

INDICTMENT PREPARED

Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has completed its investigation into the deaths of Özge Ceren Deniz and İnanç Öktemay. An indictment was prepared requesting prison sentences of up to 15 years for 42 defendants, including Uğur Yüksel, General Manager of Gediz Elektrik, Gürkan Erdoğan, General Manager of İZSU, Serdar Sadi, Deputy General Manager of İZSU, Ali Hıdır Köseoğlu, former General Manager of İZSU and current General Secretary of Adana Municipality, Ali Arcan, Metropol Region Manager of Gediz Elektrik, Ekrem Yıldırım, Operation Director, and Alper Doğan, Construction Works Supervisor Specialist. The indictment has been sent to the court. It was requested that the defendants be punished separately, taking into account the intensity of their faults, the manner in which the crime was committed, and the place and time of the crime, deviating from the lower limit in proportion to the severity of their actions.