Tragic July: Three electrocution deaths reported in one month

In July, three individuals died from electrocution due to negligence in three different hotels.

Nineteen-year-old Barış Erdoğan from Ankara, who worked in editing and sound, was electrocuted in a Çatalköy hotel on July 20. He was in Cyprus for a concert assignment alongside his brother, Ömer Can Erdoğan. The stage equipment did not meet safety standards, leading to the fatal incident.

Bekir Yiğit Erdoğan, Barış’s cousin, recounted the events and highlighted the negligence involved. Barış was there solely to operate the LED screen, not to handle electrical connections. Bekir raised critical questions: Why didn’t the residual current relay stop the current? Why was non-compliant equipment used? Why was an American power cable connected to a British socket?

Bekir revealed that Barış and Ömer Can had experienced minor electric shocks from the platform earlier. Despite cutting power to replace a faulty panel, Barış was electrocuted when he touched the LED screen. He collapsed, and attempts to save him, including from the hotel nurse, failed.

Bekir criticised the lack of safety measures, like insulated gloves and functioning residual current relays, and called for stricter regulations and periodic checks to prevent such accidents. He expressed frustration over inadequate legal permits for the technical companies involved.

The hotel’s electrical setup was questioned, with claims that it wouldn’t shut off until wires melted, and concerns about the generator’s fuel and intervention delays were raised. Bekir pledged to seek justice and hold those responsible accountable, accusing some lawyers of leaking information to the other side.

Emphasising the need for compliance with safety standards, Bekir insisted on justice for Barış and preventive measures to avert future tragedies, stating, “We lost a bright 19-year-old, and I will not give up on this matter“.

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