Negligence and Cost-Cutting at the Heart of Fatal Poisoning in Istanbul Hotel

The Böcek family during their trip to Istanbul, shortly before the fatal incident | Picture Credits: Mezopotamya Ajansı

A German-Turkish family visiting Istanbul died after exposure to toxic gas in a hotel. All four family members, including two children, perished when an unsupervised fumigation released deadly fumes. Investigations revealed involvement of untrained staff and locked emergency exits, highlighting profit-driven shortcuts that endanger public health and tourism sector in Turkey.

The Böcek family, part of the Turkish diaspora in Germany, arrived in Turkey on November 9 for a family visit. Before heading to their hometown of Afyon, they chose to spend a couple of days in Istanbul, as millions of tourists do each year. But their stay at the Harbour Suites Old City hotel in Fatih quickly took a disastrous turn. Within days, a chain of negligence at the hotel cost the entire family their lives.

The family was hospitalized on November 12 with severe nausea and vomiting. The mother, Çiğdem Böcek (27), and the children, Kadir Muhammet (6) and Masal (3), died on November 14. The father, Servet Böcek (38), died five days later, on November 19.

At first, the illness was assumed to be a case of food poisoning from street vendors. The family had eaten stuffed mussels, kokoreç, tantuni, and Turkish delight in the Ortaköy area, popular with tourists and locals, on November 11. But tests conducted by the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture showed that all the samples from the vendors were clean and that none of the foods contained any toxic substances.

As the investigation progressed, attention shifted to the hotel:

It was discovered that Room 101, located directly beneath Room 201 where the family was staying, had been fumigated for bedbugs on November 11, the same day the family first showed symptoms. The substance used was not a standard pesticide but aluminum phosphide, which releases highly toxic phosphine gas (PH₃) when it comes into contact with water or moisture.

Investigators believe the gas, which can be fatal in closed spaces, may have seeped into the upper room through the bathroom ventilation system.

The Turkish Forensic Medicine Institute’s preliminary report, dated November 19, concluded that the deaths were consistent with “chemical poisoning originating from the hotel,” with food poisoning considered unlikely. The final report is expected on November 28.

Aluminum phosphide is one of the many poisons that currently has no specific antidote and has one of the highest mortality rates. The gas causes irreversible damage to lung tissue, leading to respiratory failure, cardiac arrhythmias, and multiple organ failure. Rather than acting as a toxin that can be neutralized with an effective antidote, it triggers a chemical process that destroys body tissues. Experts describe phosphine as a substance that acts like a chemical weapon in enclosed spaces.

A Systemic Problem

The case highlights two key problems: greed and lack of oversight. DSS Fumigation and Cleaning Services, the company that carried out the treatment, is alleged to have employed untrained and uncertified staff. The firm also has a troubling record: on April 18, 2025, a separate fumigation job reportedly caused the death of three-year-old Karan Yazıcı. Karan’s father, Şahin Yazıcı, said, “If the [state] institutions took action two months ago, the Böcek family would still be alive today.”

The hotel management also bears significant responsibility. Investigators found that proper safety measures were not taken for the hazardous pesticide, the ventilation system was not checked, and no warnings were issued to guests. The hotel owner, H.O., and employee R.B. were initially released under judicial control but were arrested again on November 20 following public outrage.

The German Foreign Ministry and the Travel Agencies Federation have called on Turkey to use only approved pesticides and strengthen inspections at tourist facilities

Eleven people in total have been taken into custody, with eight formally arrested – including the hotel owner and the managers and employees of the fumigation company. The case is being prosecuted on charges of “causing the deaths of multiple people through negligence.” The hotel building has been sealed off from the public, and public health teams conducted gas measurements on the premises.

The German Foreign Ministry and the Travel Agencies Federation have called on Turkey to use only approved pesticides and strengthen inspections at tourist facilities. The incident is widely seen as dealing a serious blow to Turkey’s tourism reputation.

The Amargi spoke with Dr. Özkan Kaan Karadağ, a public health expert and Board Member of Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Hygiene Association (ETOK‑İHİDER), about the risks and regulatory failures surrounding the use of aluminum phosphide in Turkey.

Why was the Industrial Toxicology Association founded, and what concerns were you addressing at the time?

“We founded the Industrial Toxicology Association four years ago, following a poisoning case in Kocaeli [an industrial city in western Turkey]. We issued a declaration at the time.

“Aluminum phosphide is being misused, and there are no administrative restrictions on its application. It should never be used in living spaces, and only be handled in industrial settings by trained, certified teams. We published this declaration four years ago and repeated it several times, but no action was taken. In the case of the Böcek family as well, we stated that the symptoms resembled aluminum phosphide.”

How do you evaluate the current inspection and regulatory system in Turkey?

“Municipalities no longer have enforcement authority in this field. Over the past ten years, inspections have been centralized. This is the core problem in Turkey. When inspections are carried out from the center, they happen only through files, not on the ground. And that creates serious weaknesses in field and on-the-ground oversight.”

Why is aluminum phosphide particularly dangerous in residential or commercial buildings like hotels?

“Aluminum phosphide should never be freely sold. Even in agriculture, its use is subject to strict conditions. Only accredited companies with well‑trained teams should have access – and even then, it should never be used in living spaces because living spaces contain multiple leakage points: electrical conduits, ventilation lines. In hotels, these leakage points can be even more numerous. Therefore, it should be prohibited, and that is the standard in developed countries.

“For example, in Ankara’s Keçiören and Ulus districts, there are shops that sell pesticides for household use. A family bought aluminum phosphide to treat their home. They emptied their own apartment but two people living two floors above died. It was entirely possible that no one in that building would have survived.”

Is there any regulation in Turkey that stipulates necessary precautions?

“Yes. The Ministry of Health has a directive on pest control in homes. It lists 30 chemical agents that may be used, and aluminum phosphide is not one of them. The ban needs to be explicit. Aluminum phosphide tablets must be pulled from the market immediately.”

“In Turkey today, you are more likely to face legal consequences for publicly identifying the danger and calling for preventive measures, than for failing to prevent a danger or for negligence that leads to deaths”

After his answer, Dr. Karadağ became extremely careful in his wording. In Turkey today, you are more likely to face legal consequences for publicly identifying the danger and calling for preventive measures than for failing to prevent a danger or for negligence that leads to deaths.

Experts who warn about health or environmental risks can be prosecuted for “causing public fear and panic” under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which criminalizes the public dissemination of “misleading information,” or under Article 216, which criminalizes “inciting public hatred or enmity.”

A well-known example is Prof. Dr. Onur Hamzaoğlu, a respected public health academic who conducted research on industrial pollution in Dilovası (a district of Kocaeli) in 2011. His research led to the detection of pollution, leading to the presence of heavy metals in mothers’ breast milk and in infants’ excrement. When he shared his findings with the public, instead of being commended, he was accused – and eventually cleared – of “inciting public hatred or enmity” under TCK Article 216, on the grounds that his warnings were “causing panic” among local residents.

After warning that even small amounts of aluminum phosphide could pose a serious public‑health risk, Dr. Karadağ added:

“These tablets cannot be detected at security checkpoints. They have no taste or smell and are effective at extremely low concentrations. At this very moment, any of us could lose our lives because someone, somewhere in our building, decides to use this chemical for pest control.”