Members of the Turkish Union of Chambers of Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) have identified multiple faults at the Bursa State Hospital where a fire broke out yesterday (26 May).
Eight patients from the intensive care unit died, either because the electricity cut caused their life-support systems to shut down, or because of smoke inhalation.
The delegation read a report in front of the hospital at 1 pm today. The experts said that the part of the hospital where the fire broke out had been added at a later stage, but that electrical and mechanical changes had not been made. In addition, no precautionary measures against a possible fire had been taken.
Erdal Aktuğ, secretary of Bursa's TMMOB coordination board, said that the architecture, static, electricity, fire and mechanical installations had not been inspected by the relevant professional chambers.
The delegation's initial findings have been:
The TMMOB said that relevant engineers had to be employed full-time at such complex and technological buildings to ensure work safety and operating safety. In addition, the relevant professional associations had to carry out yearly inspections at such public and private buildings in order to prevent loss of life.
One recommendation in the report was that buildings used by many people be inspected immediately. Aktuğ also said that work places should be inspected by professional chambers when they started out. (BÇ/AG)