Turkish scientist’s experiment at home leaves him, his family injured

ANTALYA – Doğan News Agency

A scientist’s experiment at home on July 24 in the southern province of Antalya left himself, his wife and his son injured in an explosion.

The incident occurred at around 8 p.m. when Tuncay Özışık, working at a ground-based astronomical observatory operated by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) in Antalya, continued his work-related project at home. 

The 52-year-old Özışık was joined in the experiment by his wife Hatice Özışık and Altuğ Özışık, who undertook the project on the house’s balcony, but the experiment lead to an explosion as a result of an unknown chemical mixture.

The 17-year-old Altuğ Özışık was severely injured in the explosion and later put into an intensive care unit, while Tuncay and Hatice Özışık were slightly injured.

The head doctor of Akdeniz University hospital, to where the family was dispatched, told daily Hürriyet that serious injuries happened to Altuğ’s hands and eyes. “In the surgery that happened in the evening, it was decided that his hands and eyes would be removed. But, we will once again discuss what kind of path to take,” Prof. Dr. Bülent Aydın said.

One of the apartment residents, İsmail Arslan, told the reporters he was at home when the explosion happened. “The child was taken out of the apartment by his mother and father. I did not get scared during the explosion, but my wife did,” he said.

An investigation has been launched into the incident.