Dilovası Municipality investigated in fatal factory fire lawsuit

A court delegation conducted an on-site investigation at the Dilovası Municipality regarding a lawsuit following a factory fire in Kocaeli's Dilovası district that claimed seven lives. The investigation focused on the municipality's licensing processes and the digital infrastructure used for these operations, specifically the 'Digikent' application.

During the inspection, the court examined approval and rejection workflows, the stages of license applications, and the chain of responsibility. Legal representatives for the victims' families reported that some municipal staff provided limited information, with certain officials claiming they lacked knowledge of the operational processes, leaving municipal police (zabıta) to answer technical questions.

A verbal confrontation occurred following the investigation. While lawyers for the victims' families were preparing a press statement, a lawyer representing the defendants made comments regarding the employment of 15-year-old children at the factory. This triggered a heated argument between the families, their legal counsel, and the defense attorney.