A fire at a perfume warehouse complex in Dilovasi, about 70 km (43 miles) from Istanbul, killed six people, including two teenage girls aged 16 and 17. Five others were injured, one critically. Authorities have detained three people, including the warehouse owner, and suspended seven civil servants while an investigation into the cause is under way. Television footage showed two storeys of the depot destroyed and witnesses reported explosions and flames spreading through the factories.
Deadly Blaze at Perfume Warehouse Near Istanbul Kills Six, Including Two Teenagers
A fire at a perfume warehouse complex in Dilovasi, about 70 km (43 miles) from Istanbul, killed six people, including two teenage girls aged 16 and 17. Five others were injured, one critically. Authorities have detained three people, including the warehouse owner, and suspended seven civil servants while an investigation into the cause is under way. Television footage showed two storeys of the depot destroyed and witnesses reported explosions and flames spreading through the factories.
08:48, 09.11.2025Society
Deadly blaze at perfume warehouse in Dilovasi
A fire broke out on Saturday morning at a perfume warehouse complex in Dilovasi, roughly 70 kilometres (43 miles) from Istanbul, killing six people, officials said. Authorities confirmed two of the victims were teenage girls, aged 16 and 17.
The governor of Kocaeli province, Ilhami Aktas, told public broadcaster TRT Haber the blaze began at 9:00 am (0600 GMT). Firefighters and emergency crews brought the flames under control later in the day, but two storeys of the depot were left destroyed.
Five other people were injured in the inferno; one remains in critical condition with severe burns. An official investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fire and to review safety compliance at the site.
Arrests and administrative action
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said three people were detained following the blaze, including the warehouse owner and two senior staff members. The labour ministry announced that seven civil servants working for the social security and labour ministries have been suspended while inquiries proceed.
Eyewitness accounts
Television footage aired by Turkish channel NTV showed heavy damage and two storeys reduced to wreckage. One witness told NTV:
"I heard an explosion... I looked from my balcony and saw that the clothes of a colleague had caught fire. I took a hose and I put the flames out. I then saw flames engulf the factories. There were cries from the building."
Officials continue to investigate the scene and interview witnesses as they seek to establish how the blaze started and whether safety regulations were observed.