10 people killed as elevator plunges 32 floors in Istanbul

An elevator has plunged 32 storeys at a construction site in Istanbul, killing 10 people. Istanbul’s Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu said eight people had been detained and that an investigation has been launched into the incident that occurred on Saturday. Labour unions were organising a demonstration in Istanbul Sunday to protest problems with worker safety in the country.

The laws are clear. If anyone is not abiding by these laws, they will be held accountable.

Huseyin Avni Mutlu, Istanbul governor

The workplace accident comes four months after 301 miners were killed following an explosion and a fire at a coal mine in western Turkey. Turkey’s worst mining disaster set off protests against what was perceived as official laxity and corruption in workplace safety norms and raised questions over better implementation of standards.

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