Expert Report Finds Public Authorities 28% at Fault in Isias Hotel Collapse

The Grand Isias Hotel, located in central Adıyaman, collapsed during the Kahramanmaraş-centred earthquakes, killing 72 people, including TRNC students and tour guides, and injuring 10 others.

Among those trapped was tour guide Ali Osman Aydın, who, in a voice message sent to WhatsApp groups shortly after the earthquake, said: "We can see outside. People have reached us, but there is nothing civilians can do. AFAD needs to come. We are fine from the waist up, but below the waist we are crushed under concrete. We are fading away before everyone's eyes."

Family Filed Compensation Lawsuit

Aydın's family filed a compensation lawsuit against Adıyaman Municipality, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change and AFAD, alleging negligence in the collapse of the hotel.

According to the lawsuit, Aydın remained conscious beneath the rubble for hours while waiting for rescue. The family argued that despite repeated calls for help and applications to the relevant authorities, no official rescue teams, including AFAD, arrived in time.

The petition stated that Aydın was eventually pulled from the rubble alive but died on Feb. 7, 2023, claiming that the delay in rescue efforts contributed to his death.

It also referred to remarks made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a visit to Adıyaman on Feb. 27, 2023, when he acknowledged shortcomings in the initial emergency response.

The lawsuit argued that Erdoğan's statement constituted evidence that search and rescue operations had not been carried out in a timely manner and that there had been coordination failures.

Municipality Assigned Largest Share of Responsibility

The expert report, prepared by a civil engineer, an urban and regional planner and a geological engineer, unanimously concluded that Adıyaman Municipality bore the largest share of responsibility.

According to the report, the municipality was found 20% at fault for failing to fully meet its obligations under Turkey's zoning legislation, including planning, project approval, implementation and supervision responsibilities.

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change was assigned 6% responsibility for failing to adequately fulfil its legal duties, sufficiently supervise planning and construction processes, and for issuing a Building Registration Certificate.

AFAD was found 2% at fault for failing to carry out the necessary disaster preparedness measures and inspections, and for not taking sufficient precautions despite the area's proximity to active fault lines.

In a notice sent to other lawsuits filed by families of victims, the court stated that, in the interest of procedural efficiency, the same expert report could be used as the basis for determining fault without commissioning a new expert assessment.

Lawyers representing the families are expected to challenge the findings.

Source: Kısa Dalga