Dive Brief:
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More than 1,000 Turkish residents protested in Istanbul over the weekend after a construction accident involving a runaway elevator killed 10 workers.
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The protestors called the deaths “murders” and blamed the Turkish government for not enforcing safety codes at construction sites or other workplaces. They pointed to the country’s worst-ever industrial accident, which killed 301 miners in May.
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It’s not clear what caused the accident, which occurred in the Istanbul district of Mecidiyekoy when a freight elevator the builders were riding in fell 32 floors and crashed. They were building a 42-foot tower.
Dive Insight:
Police arrested and released eight officials connected with the site, including its safety director, and have promised an investigation. The clash between the protestors and government authorities is the first since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took office in August.