Four suspects re-arrested over deadly dormitory fire in Turkey’s south

ADANA

DHA photo

A court in the southern province of Adana on Feb. 6 ordered the arrest of four suspects who were previously released in the case of a deadly fire at a private girl’s dormitory in the Aladağ district that claimed 12 lives, Doğan News Agency Agency has reported.

A local court had on Jan. 22 ordered the release of the four members of the Aladağ Aid Association for School Students - identified only as Ramazan D., Ramazan K., Mustafa Ö. and Mahir K. - upon their lawyers’ appeal.

However, lawyers from the Adana Bar’s children rights commission and the Social Rights Association objected to the suspects’ release.

The Aladağ criminal court of peace reviewed the release of the four suspects and ordered their arrest for a second time on Feb. 6, after which they were transferred to prison.

Seven suspects were initially arrested on Dec. 4, 2016 as part of the investigation into the fire launched by the Aladağ Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Three other suspects, including dormitory manager Cumali Genç and the head of the association, identified as İsmail U., are also under arrest.

Ten students, including Genç’s four-year-old daughter and a teacher, were killed and 24 others were injured in the fire at the dormitory on Nov. 29, 2016.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing and initial reports indicate serious negligence of safety measures leading to the incident. 

On Dec. 1, 2016, the four political parties in parliament also agreed to establish a committee regarding the incident to investigate potential negligence in the case.