Parliamentary inquiry into firework factory explosion rejected

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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After seven people lost their lives lives and 126 people were wounded in an explosion that took place at Büyük Coşkunlar Firework Factory in Sakarya province on July 3, the Republican People's Party (CHP) requested a Parliamentary investigation into the incident.

However, the inquiry has been rejected by the MPs of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

'There should have been 50 meters between buildings'

Speaking about their request at the Parliamentary General Assembly before it was taken to vote, main opposition CHP Group Deputy Chair Engin Özkoç referred to the statements of Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, who said that the factory was inspected three months before the incident.

"Then, in response to Mr. Minister, I say, 'Arrest the ones who inspected the factory immediately.' Why? Because the Article 96 of the Bylaw pertaining to explosive substances stipulates that the buildings of a factory shall be built at a minimum distance of 50 meters from each other.

"There is a 20-meter distance between the buildings of this factory and they are located right next to each other."

Özkoç also said that the walls of the factory should have been built with a material that would help it stand an explosion or fire for 120 minutes. Defining the factory in Sakarya as "a building made of thin walls with prefabricated structures," Özkoç also noted that occupational safety measures should have been taken at the factory:

"The explosives should not have been excessively stored, too many of them were stored there. The substances with the same explosive characteristics should not have been there. But they were there. None of the inspections were done and workers of the factory are not unionized."

Against this background, main opposition CHP's Özkoç has emphasized that the victim of this is incident is not the owner of the factory, but "the ones who were working there for peanuts."

'Seven other explosions happened at the factory'

As also reported in the press, Özkoç reminded the MPs that "seven explosions took place at that factory" before this latest explosion:

"Each time, the place of the factory was changed and, each time, this factory was built again even though it was not compliant with the rules. The rules of the inspections were not observed even though it was supposedly inspected and what is lost in the end is lives."

Within this context, Engin Özkoç reiterated his party's request for a Parliamentary investigation into the Sakarya firework factory explosion.

'We are still examining'

Taking the floor after Özkoç, AKP Sakarya MP Çiğdem Erdoğan Atabek shared information about the works carried out after the explosion.

Indicating that a panel of experts was formed by the Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, she said, "The investigation is being conducted with great sensitivity and attention. Five people, including the owner of the factory, considered to have responsibility for the incident, have been arrested so far. The panel of experts is still examining and working in the site."

Speaking after her, CHP's Özkoç said, "We are both Sakarya MPs, we are both making efforts for the good of Sakarya. But it is not about what we did after the accident, but what we should have been before."

Following these statements, the MPs took a vote on the Parliamentary inquiry and it was rejected by the votes of AKP and MHP MPs. (HA/SD)