Contractor said ‘earthquake resistant, don’t go out’, 2 blocks demolished

In Hatay, hit by earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, 2 blocks of Güçlü Bahçe Sitesi with 5 blocks were demolished, while work on the rubble continues.

Ertuğrul Şahbaz said that he has been the site manager for 2 years: “We started shaking on the day of the earthquake. The contractor, while selling us the house, said that the apartments are earthquake resistant and even said, ‘If there is an earthquake, don’t come out of the houses.’ We did not leave the building, relying on this. As the tremor continued, 2 of our blocks were destroyed. Somehow we got our children, our families and our neighbors down the dilapidated stairs. It rained the day of the earthquake. The weather conditions were also very bad. Between 04:17 and 12:00, it was as if our country did not know. We are alone,” he said.

‘OPENING WITH GOLDEN SCISSORS’

Stating that they were told that the site is very strong, Şahbaz said, “We are very confident in our site. They told us it was basically 2.5 meters of concrete. The family who built this place also had many apartments in Hatay, we also trusted him. We learn that Mehmet Güçlü transferred the site he started to build to Servet Altaş because he was unable to complete it. Altaş also had a hard time finishing the blocks here. They sold the apartments but we had a lot of problems. The contractor was saying, ‘This place will be very valuable.’ As such, we have invested in this site and have loans. During the period, the opening was made here with ‘golden scissors,'” he said.

‘PARKING IMPLEMENTED IN LAS MANZANAS DEL TERRENO’

Stating that the vehicles in the parking lot are intact, Şahbaz said: “I think the biggest problem here is to build a parking lot in the middle of the site, minus the second floor, once the building is finished. That parking was enforced on the blocks on this site. No dilation was performed. I think when the blocks played in the quake, it crashed into the parking lot, breaking the columns and collapsing the buildings. There are 150 vehicles under the site. These are national wealth. We want to get our vehicles out without getting in anyone’s way. All of them are solid, we want to get our vehicles out and go. The parking lot is intact. Vehicles can be submerged because the water motors do not work. Let’s have our vehicles on hand,” he said. (DHA)