AMED - Doğan Hatun, the co-mayor of the municipality who came to coordinate the firefighting efforts in Köksalan village in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır, spoke to the Amed Times for the first time about the recent fires.
Hatun emphasised that everyone must act responsibly and carefully to prevent the increase in fires, especially in the summer months.
Doğan Hatun, co-mayor of the Diyarbakır Municipality, told The Amed Times that firefighting efforts will continue in coordination with other official and semi-official institutions in the province:
The fires are claiming our lives
"First of all, unfortunately, we have news of 3 deaths and 12 injuries in the villages of Yazçiçeği and Köksalan in Çınar and 1 death and 12 injuries, including 4 serious injuries, in the hamlets of Yücebağ and Dere in Mazıdağı. A total of 4 people died and 24 were injured. We offer our condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, the biggest crisis in the summer months is fires. In the last three days, there have been about 250 fires in Amed, mostly due to stubble burning and similar causes. Today, according to the information we received from the villagers, a fire alarm was reported at around 21:00 - 21:30, but the alarm was reported only at 22:08. Based on this alarm, we fought the fires in Mazıdağ in Mardin and Diyarbakır in coordination with Diyarbakır Municipality, Mardin Municipality and Çınar, Bismil and Viranşehir Municipalities. At the same time, we are trying to coordinate this process with the Forestry Directorate, AFAD and the security forces.
We are talking about a fire affecting the villages of Karabağlı, Yazçiçeği, Köksalan and Bağcık in Çınar and the hamlets of Yücebağ and Dere in Mazıdağı. We have currently brought the fires in the villages around Çınar under control and the extinguishing work is continuing. We have sent half of our units to Mazıdağı and have come here with around 20 vehicles as the municipal administration. We currently have 17 vehicles here and have sent the other vehicles to fight the fire in Mazıdağı, where the fire is partially under control. Due to the dry grass in the summer months, a power line is suspected to be the cause of the fire, although this information has not yet been confirmed. But in the last three days, most of the more than 200 fires have been caused by burning stubble from field owners or cigarette butts thrown from moving vehicles. I would like to say that these fires have unfortunately claimed lives in our city today.
Fires are the responsibility of society as a whole
We appeal to our citizens to act sensitively and prudently. A discarded cigarette butt has now become deadly. This is a common problem for all our people, not just for the fire brigade or the property owner, but for everyone. Carelessness can cost the life of someone sleeping in their house in another village. If our people are sensitive, we can minimise these risks or even prevent them altogether. It is now 2.30 a.m. and we will stay here overnight because there could still be undiscovered dead and injured people. Our friends are continuing the search and rescue efforts. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find words because of the death reports. The fire is under control, cooling measures are underway and we hope that the fire in Mazıdağı is also under control. All units are mobilised, from the forestry authorities to the soldiers. Everyone is trying their best. The danger is still there because of the wind. We have taken all precautions in Çınar."
Increase in the number of fatalities and injuries
In a statement released by the Ministry of Interior, it was announced that 3 people were killed and 29 people were injured in Diyarbakır and 2 in Mardin.
The injured were taken to hospitals in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır and the Mazıdağı district of Mardin for treatment.
According to the reports, there could still be undiscovered dead and injured and hundreds of animals were killed in the fires.