Demolition of Arslan Apartment in Kocaeli

Kocaeli’s Gebze district, the seven-story Arslan Apartment collapsed on 29 October 2025 due to an as yet undetermined cause. At the time of the collapse, five members of the Bilir family residing in the building were trapped under the rubble. After approximately 19 hours of search and rescue operations, mother Emine Bilir, father Levent Bilir, and their children Hayrunnisa (14) and Muhammet Emir Bilir (12) lost their lives. The family’s eldest daughter, Dilara Bilir (18), was rescued alive.

Search and Rescue Operations at the Collapsed Seven-Story Building in Kocaeli, 29 October 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Course of Events

The seven-story Arslan Apartment, located on Issıkgöl Street in the Mevlana Neighborhood of Gebze, Kocaeli, collapsed on the morning of 29 October 2025 between 07:00 and 07:30 due to an as yet undetermined cause. It was determined that the building housed a pharmacy on its ground floor and three duplex apartments above. At the time of the collapse, the Bilir family, who were tenants, were inside. It was confirmed that Levent Bilir (44), his wife Emine Bilir (37), and their children Dilara (18), Hayrunnisa (14), and Muhammet Emir Bilir (12) were trapped under the debris.

Following the incident, AFAD, fire services, JAK, UMKE, medical teams, and various search and rescue units were deployed to the area. The zone was immediately secured, and nearby buildings were evacuated due to potential risks. On the instructions of the Kocaeli Governorate, nine buildings were temporarily evacuated and sealed.

Debris of the Collapsed Seven-Story Building in Kocaeli, 29 October 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Search and Rescue Operations

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, in a statement on his social media account, reported that 147 search and rescue personnel, including 80 from AFAD, had been deployed, along with eight devices for locating victims under rubble, two drones, and 52 vehicles. Civil society organizations and municipal teams also participated in the operations coordinated by the Gebze District Governorate and the Kocaeli Governorate.

Deputy Interior Minister Mehmet Aktaş personally monitored the search and rescue operations on-site and stated, “Our response involves a total of 627 personnel, including 480 from search and rescue teams.” Aktaş indicated that the victims may have been in the same room and that live voices had been detected under the debris. Eighteen-year-old Dilara Bilir was rescued alive, while the bodies of two siblings were recovered.

The search operations lasted approximately 19 hours. During the night-long rescue efforts, teams first located the bodies of father Levent Bilir, followed by mother Emine Bilir. Four people lost their lives in the incident; one person, Dilara Bilir, was rescued with injuries.

Technical Inspections at the Site

Immediately after the incident, Governor İlhami Aktaş visited the site to conduct inspections. Aktaş stated that the building had been constructed in 2012 and received occupancy approval in 2013, and that no complaints or reports regarding the building had been received by official authorities. Initial assessments considered the possibility of ground effects due to the building’s proximity to the Gebze-Darıca metro construction route; however, the Governorate and relevant institutions stated that “no concrete evidence” had been found.

Uğur Aydın, owner of the pharmacy located on the ground floor, reported that a section of the marble flooring at the entrance had sunk, but no cracks were observed in the columns. It was reported that Aydın had informed the building’s contractor of the issue one day prior, and that municipal teams had inspected the site and confirmed “no problems.”

According to statements from building residents, ground movement monitoring had been conducted in the area for the past two years, and regular technical surveillance had been carried out along the metro line route.

Search and Rescue Operations at the Collapsed Seven-Story Building in Kocaeli, 29 October 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Official Statements and Investigation Process

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that a judicial investigation into the incident had been launched by the Gebze Public Prosecutor’s Office. In his statement, Tunç said, “To fully clarify all aspects of the incident, a panel of experts including construction engineers, a geophysicist, and an architect has been appointed. The panel will begin its inspections at the site after the rescue operations are completed.”

The expert panel commenced its site inspections on the morning of 30 October 2025. On the same day, Sakarya Electricity Distribution Company (SEDAŞ) and PALGAZ teams conducted safety and infrastructure checks in the area. The investigation is ongoing.

Victims and Survivors

The victims of the incident were mother Emine Bilir, father Levent Bilir, and their children Hayrunnisa (14) and Muhammet Emir Bilir (12). The 18-year-old survivor, Dilara Bilir, received medical treatment at Gebze Fatih State Hospital.

The funerals of the deceased were held on 30 October 2025, following prayers at Çoban Mustafa Paşa Mosque, and they were buried at Gebze Central Cemetery.

Technical Findings and Investigations

The expert panel’s inspections at the debris site began on the morning of 30 October 2025, following the completion of rescue operations. The investigation aims to determine the causes of the collapse and identify responsibilities. Inspections at the site revealed signs of soil movement, column deformation, and weakening of load-bearing elements. Photographs taken one day before the collapse showed that one of the building’s load-bearing columns had been temporarily supported by wooden planks. Technical investigations are ongoing.