Also touching on the issue of control Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl“If there were inspections, there would be no deficiencies. Warning systems should be in working order. Sprinkler systems should be in working order. If we understand that the system is not working when a fire breaks out, that license may also need to be cancelled. We do not have such inspections,” he said.
Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences Vice Dean, Occupational Health and Safety Expert Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl evaluated the hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya that caused the death of 36 people, 78 of whom were children, and the issue of fire safety.
When it comes to fireproof, the first thing that comes to mind is reinforced concrete structures…
Noting that fire is formed by the so-called “fire triangle” of flammable material, oxygen and ignition source, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said that when it comes to fireproof materials, the first thing that comes to mind is reinforced concrete carcass structures, fireproof methods such as plaster and gypsum can be applied on such structures, and glass is also among the fireproof conditions and its use in such buildings can be preferred.
Wrong Applications on the Exterior Cause Serious Danger
In terms of fire safety, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl, who touched upon the use of exterior facades, wooden materials and carpets, said, “The important thing here is the type of carpets. Flammable carpets can be ignited even with a simple cigarette ash. Carpets that are difficult to burn should be applied. Incorrect applications on the exterior facade cause serious danger. According to the Fire Protection Regulation of Buildings in Turkey, fire-safe, resistant materials are classified as Class A1 non-flammable and Class A2 non-flammable. Aluminum exterior facade coatings are difficult to burn, but when they burn, they are very difficult to extinguish because they turn into metal combustion. In some applications, they are supported with non-flammable materials such as rock wool so that they do not spread to the interior. Aluminum exterior facade coatings or wooden cladding coatings such as those we saw in Kartalkaya are also in question. They are difficult to burn but they burn when ignited. They also burned on the side where the runways are. Even if they burned with difficulty, they burned.”
Detectors Provide Rapid Fire Response
Pointing to the Fire Protection Regulation of Buildings, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “There are legislative provisions related to the height and usage capacity of the building. One of these legislative provisions is early warning and detection systems. Detectors in particular provide rapid intervention in the fire. Thanks to these systems, it usually gives a warning in the early stage, usually within 15 seconds. It notifies everyone with a sound over 90 decibels and thus provides a great time advantage for evacuation. The fire progresses horizontally for about one and a half to two minutes. It starts to accelerate suddenly and grows abnormally. It may take about one and a half to two minutes to escape from the fire. Of course, this period may vary, extend or shorten depending on the characteristics of the flammable material.”
Escape Stairs Must Be Forced to Inject Air from Above with Fans
Expressing that escape systems are also very important, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “Depending on the usage pattern of the building, there should be at least 500 escape exits for a building with a capacity of 3 people and 4 for more people. Corridor widths should generally be planned as 2 to 2,5 meters, thus ensuring comfortable movement during evacuation. Escape stairs should be designed with positive pressure. This is necessary to prevent high-temperature smoke from filling the stairs. Air needs to be pressurized from above with fans so that people can escape safely. When these do not exist, we encounter such disasters.”
Extinguishing Systems Can Successfully Extinguish Fires at a Rate of 96.7 Percent
Pointing out that some fires grow rapidly, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “Automatic extinguishing systems are an important safety precaution that must be in place, especially in buildings such as hotels. However, the absence or failure of these systems creates a major disadvantage. Extinguishing systems can successfully extinguish a fire with a rate of 96.7 percent. If it cannot be extinguished, it suppresses the spread and provides critical time for the fire department to arrive at the scene.”
Rapid Evacuation Failed
Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl, who stated that it was determined that some of those who died in the fire in Kartalkaya were trying to get dressed in the room, said, “It seems that they lost time there as well. Therefore, a rapid evacuation could not be made. No way out could be found. When the smoke is overwhelming, together with the high temperatures that make it impossible to see, it becomes impossible to get out of the room. Therefore, escape stairs are very important.”
The Hotel is Reinforced Concrete, But the Materials Inside Are Problematic
Reminding that the hotel is a reinforced concrete building but its exterior is made of wood with insulation material, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl said, “They dip the wooden cladding in chemicals. They keep it in chemicals for 5-6 hours. This is a job that is usually done in Bolu. That also reduces its fireproofing a little by reducing its conductivity regarding heat, making it more difficult to burn. There is a problem with the materials inside. There are panels there. They are easily flammable materials. They have increased the fire load.”
A Legislative Change is Required…
Addressing the issue of auditing, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl continued as follows:
“If there were inspections, there would be no deficiencies. Warning systems must be in working order. Sprinkler systems must be in working order. When a fire breaks out, if we understand that the system is not working, that license may also need to be canceled. We do not have such inspections. After we obtain the license, no one comes again. Neither the fire department nor the police can come and inspect a place under the control of the Ministry of Tourism. When the Ministry of Tourism inspects, it checks whether there is a fire department report or not. They also take it out and show the report they received before. But if they have made a renovation inside, made changes or the system is not working, they have not had its periodic maintenance done, no one knows. A statement was made, there is a compliance report regarding fire in 2021 and 2024. But the Ministry of Tourism does not inspect whether the system is working or not. Since it is under the responsibility of the fire department, the report on paper given by the fire department is trusted. Sometimes that report is about the cafeteria. Sometimes it is about something else. Therefore, we do our transactions well on paper. Therefore, a change in legislation is needed here as well. Just as we subject our vehicles to periodic inspection at TÜVTÜRK stations every two years, such an inspection by the fire department should be added to the legislation.”
A Mechanism for Control Needs to Be Created
Expressing that the Ministry of Tourism may need to establish a mechanism to monitor fire safety, Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl concluded his words by saying, “Currently, these inspections are carried out under the supervision of fire departments working under the responsibility of municipalities until occupancy or license is obtained. Inspections should be carried out periodically. A mechanism for inspections should be established.”
Source: HORECA TREND and Dr. Lecturer Nuri Bingöl (Üsküdar University)