by Furkan Naci Top
ISTANBUL
Anger and grief dominated, on Monday, the funeral of one of the ten workers who were recently killed in an elevator accident at a construction site in Istanbul's commercial district of Mecidiyekoy.
Ten workers died Saturday night when the elevator they were in dropped 32 stories to the ground, prompting claims of negligence with regards to safety on the construction site.
Angered family members and embittered colleagues attended the funeral of Ismail Saritas, 45, which took place in a "cemevi," an Alawite worship house, in Sarigazi, a remote part of Istanbul: .
"They should pay the price," said the deceased worker's father, Huseyin Saritas, calling on authorities to punish those responsible for the accident.
"I am proud of having raised such a son and I want to demand his rights," he added.
Haydar Saritas revealed to the media that his brother Ismail was working overtime in order to pay his mortgage debts and to complete his sick 11-year-old daughter’s treatment. He did not mention what exactly ailed his daughter.
All activity has been halted in the construction site following the disaster, according to Torunlar Real Estate Investment Company, as the investigation over the accident continues.
Two more people were detained on Monday as part of the investigation over the accident. Another nine were detained and released after questioning.
A colleague of the deceased worker, Serkan Goktas, complained about work safety at the construction site and ruled out working there again.
"There was no work safety, absolutely zero," said Goktas to the media. "It is difficult for me to go back there for work."
The accident raised questions over the working conditions in the country, of which the construction sector has grown rapidly in the last decade.
According to International Labor Organization figures, Turkey ranks first in Europe and third in the world for fatal work accidents. The organization says 18 out of 100,000 insured laborers die every year in work-related accidents, seven times greater than the EU average of 2.5.
Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, vowed to investigate the incident on Sunday and pledged to bring up the issue in Monday's cabinet meeting.
www.aa.com.tr/en
