ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – A tragic incident involving a Turkish-German family has unfolded in Istanbul, where a family of four lost their lives, likely due to gas poisoning from a pesticide used in their hotel. The preliminary autopsy report, as cited by Turkey’s state-run news agency, indicates that phosphine gas, a known insecticide metabolite, was present in their hotel room.
The Bocek family, which included the parents Cigdem and Servet, along with their two young children, Kadir Muhammet, aged 6, and Masal, aged 3, arrived in Istanbul from Germany and checked into a hotel in the Fatih district. On November 12, shortly after their arrival, the family began experiencing illness and sought treatment at a local hospital via taxi. Unfortunately, after returning to the hotel, their condition worsened, prompting another trip to the hospital, this time by ambulance.
Tragically, Kadir and Masal passed away just hours after their hospitalization on November 13. Their mother Cigdem succumbed to her illness on November 14, and their father Servet later died on November 17. The sequence of these deaths has raised significant alarms regarding the safety standards of hotels, particularly in relation to the treatment and presence of hazardous substances.
A thorough investigation revealed concerning findings indicating the presence of phosphine gas on various items in the hotel room, including towels and masks. Reports stated that swab samples collected from different locations within the family's accommodations tested positive for this toxic gas. Initial suspicions regarding food poisoning from street food consumed during their vacation were dismissed after the autopsy results confirmed that the family had not been poisoned by food.
Additionally, two other tourists who were staying at the same hotel experienced similar symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, and required hospitalization, further substantiating the claims of hazardous conditions in the hotel.
In light of these severe incidents, local authorities have taken action, arresting a total of 11 individuals connected to the matter. The Harbour Suites Old City hotel where the Bocek family stayed has been officially closed as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. The case has sparked a wider debate about hotel safety regulations in Turkey and has ignited demands for stricter compliance to prevent such a heartbreaking event from occurring in the future.
The unfolding situation has not only affected the families involved but also the broader community of tourists in Istanbul, who are left questioning the safety standards of their accommodations. The tragic loss of the Bocek family is a stark reminder of the importance of health and safety regulations in hospitality settings, urging a collective responsibility to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
