Turkish authorities have detained the owner and constructor of a three-story apartment building that collapsed during a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in the town of Sindirgi, Balikesir province, on Sunday. The quake killed one elderly resident and injured 29 others across the region.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said the pair are being questioned on suspicion of “causing death and injury by negligence.” The apartment block was among the few inhabited buildings to fall, while 16 other collapsed structures were mostly abandoned village homes, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu reported that 19 of the injured have been discharged, with none of the remaining patients in serious condition.
The earthquake, felt as far as Istanbul nearly 200 km away, triggered more than 200 aftershocks, the strongest measuring 4.6. Many residents spent the night outdoors or in cars over fears of further collapses.
Turkiye, located on major fault lines, frequently experiences earthquakes. Last year’s 7.8 magnitude disaster killed over 53,000 people in Turkiye and 6,000 in northern Syria, with poor construction and oversight blamed for the scale of the tragedy.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said the pair are being questioned on suspicion of “causing death and injury by negligence.” The apartment block was among the few inhabited buildings to fall, while 16 other collapsed structures were mostly abandoned village homes, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu reported that 19 of the injured have been discharged, with none of the remaining patients in serious condition.
The earthquake, felt as far as Istanbul nearly 200 km away, triggered more than 200 aftershocks, the strongest measuring 4.6. Many residents spent the night outdoors or in cars over fears of further collapses.
Turkiye, located on major fault lines, frequently experiences earthquakes. Last year’s 7.8 magnitude disaster killed over 53,000 people in Turkiye and 6,000 in northern Syria, with poor construction and oversight blamed for the scale of the tragedy.
