Seven municipal officials indicted over deadly Kocaeli factory fire

Seven municipal officials have been indicted over a deadly factory fire in the northern Turkish city of Kocaeli that killed seven workers, including three minors, according to prosecutors. The incident occurred on November 8 at the Ravive Cosmetics Factory in the Dilovası district of the province. The victims included Tuğba Taşdemir, 17; Nisanur Taşdemir, 15; Cansu Esetoğlu, 15; Hanım Gülek, 52; Esma Gikan, 31; Şengül Yılmaz, 59; and Tuncay Yıldız, who later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. Several other employees were injured in the blaze. The indictment was issued by the Gebze Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which charged the officials with causing multiple deaths and injuries through conscious negligence under Article 22 of the Turkish Penal Code. The accused include former Dilovası Municipality Zoning and Urban Planning Director Hüseyin Öztürk and building control directors Cihan Sorgucu, Selim San, and Muammer Telli. Deputy Mayor Necati Temiz and acting municipal police directors Cengiz Taşdemir and Nizamettin Balcı were also named in the charges. If the indictment is accepted, the penalties range from two years and eight months to 22 years and six months in prison. Prosecutors allege that the officials failed to fulfill their duty of care, contributing to the disaster. They claim the suspects attempted to evade criminal responsibility by denying the allegations. The prosecution has dismissed these denials as efforts to avoid accountability. The case follows findings by Interior Ministry inspectors and court-appointed experts. Inspectors initially reported their findings to the Dilovası district governor’s office, leading to an investigation into the seven officials on February 19. Their appeal against this decision was rejected by the İstanbul Regional Administrative Court on April 7. The fire broke out at the Ravive Cosmetics Factory, which operated in an unauthorized, unlicensed building lacking basic workplace safety measures. Despite these deficiencies, the facility had obtained an operating license. Municipal authorities reportedly did not carry out required inspections or take action to seal and demolish the illegal structure. Complaints submitted via the Presidential Communications Center (CİMER) were allegedly ignored. Following the fire, seven individuals, including the business owners, were placed in custody. Multiple municipal and public officials were suspended from their duties. A separate trial involving 16 defendants, including the company's owners, is ongoing at the Gebze 7th Heavy Penal Court. The status of investigations into suspended officials from the Social Security Institution, the Turkish Employment Agency, and other public bodies remains uncertain. Family members of the deceased workers and their legal representatives have organized a justice vigil in Gebze’s central square throughout the investigation. Witnesses have also claimed that municipal police officers were sometimes observed leaving the factory with products. These allegations suggest potential misconduct or complicity among local law enforcement. As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on determining the extent of official negligence and its role in the tragic loss of life.