Pointing the finger at Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı, KIB-TEK and Emrullah Turanlı the owner of Taş-Yapı, which built and operates Ercan Airport, and who has attracted criticism for failing to pay an electricity debt of 45 million Turkish Lira, Tugcu accused all three of concealing that fact that two work accidents occurred Ercan in March.
“In March, two electrical explosions occurred in Ercan, one worker was injured, and it was kept secret from the public“, said Tuğcu. He stated that two separate explosions occurred at Ercan Airport, where temporary power is provided through what is known as ‘site electricity’, and one worker suffered burns on his arms from the explosion.
One incident occurred on March 13 and the other on March 29 while unauthorised electrical work was being carried out by subcontracted workers, and both incidents were kept from public knowledge.
“An employee of the subcontractor hired by the airport operator performed an unauthorised operation on the low-voltage panel (such operations are under the authority of KIB-TEK), causing an explosion by short-circuiting two phases. As a result of the explosion, the worker’s arms were burned. In the second incident on March 29th, the subcontractor, without the knowledge of KIB-TEK, caused the transformer to explode while making connections to generator sets in power centre number four, which belongs to KIB-TEK. Fortunately, no one was harmed in this explosion.
Tuğcu said that since the opening of the new airport on July 20, 2023, EL-SEN has consistently been warning of the serious risks of using temporary power supplies. He said the following:
“We are warning; Temporary current poses a serious risk! Why are you still relying on temporary current? Why aren’t you applying to the Electricity Authority to switch to normal current? The answers to these questions are clear; because the installation of the system has not yet been completed. Ercan Airport, hosting thousands of passengers, has been operating with an unsafe energy infrastructure that has not been approved by KIB-TEK for over eight months. Where are you? Minister of Public Works and Transportation Mr. Erhan Arıklı, who labelled us traitors when we said ‘this airport should not be opened in this way’? And you, Mr. Arıklı, who baselessly accused EL-SEN of ‘sabotage’ multiple times in Ercan and ran a smear campaign against us in front of the public, why did you hide these two explosions from everyone in the past month? What are you waiting for? For someone to die? And you, Chairman of the KIB-TEK Board of Directors Hüseyin Paşa and KIB-TEK General Manager Dalman Aydın! What is your reason for not speaking out about all this? Are you not aware that by allowing the operator who intervenes with subcontractors to dangerously and temporarily operate devices, which should be operated by KIB-TEK personnel who are experts in the field, you are complicit in inviting death?
“We, as EL-SEN, have been saying for eight months, and we will continue to say! The electrical installation at Ercan must be completed as soon as possible, and the airport must be immediately switched from temporary current to normal current. Until this is done, you will be responsible for all the work accidents that occur. The safety of both airport employees and passengers is far more important than the profits you will make from hastily opening the operation, risking lives and property as if escaping from a fire!“
