A young mother plunged to her death after an elevator malfunctioned and fell seven stories in an apartment building in Tarsus, Turkey, despite her husband’s frantic efforts to save her.
Pelin Yasot Kiyga was leaving her seventh-floor apartment on her way to work on September 30 when the elevator in her 11-story building began to malfunction. The mother of one called her husband, 34-year-old Gokhan Kiyga, when she became trapped inside the malfunctioning elevator.
Security camera footage captured the desperate moments as Gokhan attempted to rescue his wife. The video shows him speaking on his phone with Pelin while working alongside two other men to resolve the problem. He can be seen pressing buttons and attempting to pry open the elevator doors from the outside.
After hearing a loud crash, the elevator cabin suddenly jammed before plummeting down the shaft along with heavy concrete counterweights. Gokhan stated that he “tried to pull her out of the lift until the last moment.” The footage shows him holding his head in despair before racing down the stairs to reach his wife.
During his desperate rescue attempt, Gokhan injured his foot while frantically trying to help his wife. Emergency services, including paramedics and police, were dispatched to the scene within minutes of the incident.
Firefighters removed Pelin from the elevator wreckage and transported her to a local hospital for treatment. Despite medical intervention, she was pronounced dead from her injuries sustained in the fall.
The Tarsus District Governorate confirmed the incident in an official statement. The agency explained that Pelin was seriously injured when concrete blocks from the elevator cabin’s counterweight system accelerated toward the top of the cabin before falling to the ground together with the cabin itself.
The Tarsus Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a comprehensive investigation into the woman’s death. Police have questioned 17 individuals in connection with the case, including representatives from the elevator company, the property manager, and maintenance supervisors.
Three people have been taken into custody as part of the investigation. Those arrested include the former manager of the company responsible for the elevator’s maintenance, the current manager, and the building’s site manager.
Troubling allegations have emerged suggesting that residents of the building had been complaining about elevator malfunctions for more than a month before the tragedy occurred. According to reports, residents had shared their concerns about the faulty elevator in the building’s WhatsApp group, indicating ongoing technical problems that preceded the fatal incident.
The exact cause of the elevator malfunction remains unknown as investigators continue their work. The incident occurred in the Altaylilar district of Tarsus, located in Turkey’s Mersin Province.
Pelin, who was from Mersin, leaves behind her husband and their child. The family had been living in the 11-story apartment building where the fatal accident occurred.
This elevator accident highlights ongoing safety concerns with aging elevator systems in residential buildings. The investigation will likely focus on maintenance records, safety inspections, and whether proper protocols were followed for the elevator’s upkeep. Authorities continue to examine all aspects of the case to determine what led to the mechanical failure that tragically claimed Pelin’s life.
