Nearly a year after a devastating fire at an Istanbul nightclub claimed 29 lives, the families of the victims are still waiting for those responsible to be held accountable.
On April 2, 2024 a fire broke out at the Club Masquerade in Istanbul’s Besiktas neighborhood. The club was undergoing renovation at the time of the fire, and investigations revealed important safety measures had not been implemented, ultimately leading to fatalities.
Although the club was closed for the month of Ramadan, club employees were required to come in and assist with the renovation, despite lacking the proper training for such tasks.
The closest exit had been blocked by construction material, forcing the workers inside to use the door at the end of a long, dark corridor, which many could not reach due to smoke. Survivors later talked to the media and said the club was like a maze and that it was difficult to find the way out even under normal circumstances.
A preliminary expert report revealed that due to simultaneous work being carried out throughout all parts of the club, there were too many workers inside. The workers initially tried to put out the fire but were unsuccessful. The fire grew within less than a minute, and the escape route was blocked by flames.
The report said flammable materials were stored in the workplace, sparks from welding spread, fire exit doors were locked, the fire suppression system was not working and some of the fire extinguishers were also not functional.
It was estimated that the 29 workers trapped inside were affected by the high heat and carbon monoxide during the fire and died as a result.
The prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for nine defendants on grounds of gross negligence, with the potential sentences varying from a minimum of two years to a maximum of 22 years.
Families said their loved ones were victims of lack of workplace safety measures and negligence.
Union member Murat Bostanci in a social media post criticized authorities for not enforcing laws on workplace safety. “There is no inspection. Laws and regulations exist, but they aren’t enforced. Where is the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the governor, the municipality?” he demanded.
A social media account dedicated to the workers who died in the fire questioned why there were no fire exits. “A club that can host about 1,000 people, but there are no functioning fire exits?”
The social media account called for not only the prosecution of the club’s owners but also municipal authorities who failed to inspect the renovation work and ensure that safety measures met the required standards.
People have been suffering from lax work safety standards for decades in Turkey, where workplace accidents are nearly a daily occurrence. According to a report by the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG) Turkey recorded at least 1,897 deaths in work-related accidents in 2024. İSİG General Coordinator Murat Çakır had earlier said the reason for the record number of fatalities in work-related accidents has to do with the policies of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which he said aims to turn Turkey into a source of cheap labor.
