Turkish court releases quarry officials with control measures after collapse kills two workers

A Turkish court released five marble quarry officials under judicial control after a Nov. 25 collapse killed two workers, Mustafa Dak and Ahmet Özmen. Locals claimed the quarry continued operations despite warnings to halt.

Friday December 06 2024 01:12 pm

Duvar English

A Turkish court on Dec. 6 released marble quarry officials with judicial control measures after the quarry collapsed and killed two workers in western Turkey's Balıkesir province.

According to the İhlas news agency (İHA), five officials were questioned about the collapse. They were released under judicial control with an international travel ban.

Two workers died in the Nov. 25 quarry collapse. Rescue teams recovered the bodies of Mustafa Dak and Ahmet Özmen from under marble blocks, and they were buried in their hometown of Kastamonu in northern Turkey.

Witnesses and locals claimed that authorities had previously issued orders for this quarry and others in the area to cease operations. However, the companies allegedly continued their activities despite the warnings.

Following the collapse, quarry owner Ediz Öztürk told Demirören News Agency (DHA) that the collapse was caused by soil erosion from leftover debris dumped by a German firm near the quarry. Heavy rain triggered the landslide. "If this had happened two hours earlier when many more workers were present, it could have been a major disaster," Öztürk said.