A six-year-old Syrian girl was killed in İstanbul on Wednesday after a piece of concrete fell from a building being demolished and struck her as she walked past with her mother, raising fresh concerns over safety measures at construction sites across Turkey.
Tesnim Urfalı was walking with her mother in Zeytinburnu when debris broke off from the structure and struck her in the head. Turkish media said the site lacked adequate barriers or other safety measures to protect pedestrians.
Urfalı was taken to a hospital but later succumbed to her injuries.
Police detained three people in connection with the incident. Two were later released, while the excavator operator was referred to court with a request for pretrial arrest.
The girl’s father accused those responsible for the demolition of negligence and demanded justice for his daughter’s death.
The incident renewed attention to safety standards at demolition and constructions sites in Turkey, where poor enforcement of regulations continues to endanger both workers and bystanders.
Workplace accidents remain a chronic problem in Turkey, where lax enforcement of occupational health and safety standards continues to cost lives. According to a report by the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG) Turkey recorded at least 2,105 deaths in work-related accidents in 2025. The construction sector accounted for 23 percent of the total.
