Six builders crushed to death while taking a nap after horror crane collapse

05 January 2023 , 01:03

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Six people have died after a crane collapsed in Turkey (Image: CEN)

Six construction workers have been crushed to death in a tragic accident after a crane accidentally dropped its load on top of them.

Another two people were also left injured after metal and loose debris plummeted through the roof of a makeshift dormitory on the building site in Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.

The shocking incident unfolded when the 300-foot-tall crane's jib - or arm - snapped while lifting building material, with the contents then falling onto the container below housing the men.

Footage taken at the scene shows pedestrians running for cover as the debris rained down onto the road, while another taken from the top of the crane itself showed the frightening height from which it fell.

A large emergency response was launched, with police, firefighters, and paramedics dispatched to the scene.

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The incident unfolded after the 300-foot crane's arm snapped while lifting building material (CEN)

Local media reported a number of arrests following the incident.

Construction firm owner Emrullah Yolci, site chief Muhammet Fatih Yolci, occupational safety officer Fikret Kamil Aydin, and crane firm owner Irfan Kasirga were all detained following accusations of negligence.

Those who lost their lives in the accident have meanwhile been named as Yildirim Sari, Fesih Ciftci, Baykal Gunduz, Aslan Akkaya, Ali Sukru Duru, and Umit Kara.

Yildirim's brother Kenan was also inside the container at the time but survived the impact.

A number of arrests have been made following the deaths (CEN)

Workers on the site said they had made multiple pleas to operational staff for the makeshift dormitories to be moved, describing their location below the crane as a safety threat amid constant rubble falls.

Injured worker Mucahit Ciftci told local media: "We've told the company a thousand times that the rubble was falling every day.

"They weren't interested. They just built a roof over our heads.

"It is not a work accident, it is murder."

Turkish Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ confirmed that Izmir Public Prosecutor's office had now begun an investigation into the incident, and offered his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives on the construction site.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas