DILOVASI, Turkey — A catastrophic fire at a perfume warehouse in northwestern Turkey claimed the lives of six people, including two teenage girls, and injured five others, one critically, authorities reported Saturday. The blaze broke out at 9:00 a.m. local time in Dilovasi, roughly 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Istanbul, at a complex housing multiple warehouses and factories.

Fire and Immediate Response

Images broadcast by Turkish media showed two stories of the building destroyed, with flames engulfing surrounding structures. Witnesses described the horror as explosions and intense fires spread rapidly. One onlooker told NTV:

“I looked from my balcony and saw that the clothes of a colleague had caught fire. I tried to put out the flames with a hose, but then I saw the factories engulfed in flames with cries coming from inside.”

Firefighters and emergency personnel worked quickly to bring the blaze under control, though six victims could not be saved. The Kocaeli provincial governor, Ilhami Aktas, confirmed the casualties and said one of the injured remains in critical condition due to severe burns.

Arrests and Investigation

In the aftermath, three individuals, including the warehouse owner and two senior staff members, were arrested as authorities opened an investigation into the fire’s cause. Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed the arrests, while the mayor of Kocaeli, Tahir Buyukakin, noted that two victims were teenage girls aged 16 and 17, though he could not confirm their reason for being inside the warehouse at the time.

Additionally, seven civil servants from the social security and labor ministries were suspended pending review, highlighting concerns over regulatory oversight and workplace safety violations.

Context and Safety Concerns

Industrial and warehouse fires are not uncommon in Turkey, particularly in densely packed industrial zones, where chemical and flammable materials are stored. This incident has drawn attention to safety standards in warehouses, particularly those handling highly flammable products such as perfumes and cleaning agents.

Authorities continue their investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and to assess whether safety protocols were violated. Meanwhile, emergency teams remain on site, ensuring the area is secure and that no further casualties occur.