Tragedy in Edremit: 12-Year-Old Child Laborer Falls from Construction Site, Hospitalized in Critical Condition

Balıkesir, Edremit – A heartbreaking incident in the Edremit district of Balıkesir has once again tragically highlighted Turkey's persistent issue of child labor. Timur Öztürk, a mere 12 years old, suffered severe injuries after falling from the second floor of a construction site where he was working and has been hospitalized.

According to information obtained, young Timur Öztürk, engaged in construction work, sustained serious injuries from a fall from height. Shockingly, it was learned that Timur was reportedly taken to a private hospital by another child laborer, also his peer, after the incident. Timur, who was immediately intubated at the hospital due to his life-threatening condition, is awaiting transfer to a hospital with a specialized pediatric intensive care unit.

This devastating event starkly demonstrates the immense risks children face when subjected to labor exploitation and forced to work in unsafe conditions. Trade unions and civil society organizations have once again raised their voices on social media and to the public with the hashtag #FightAgainstChildLabor.

While wishing young Timur a swift recovery, authorities and civil society organizations monitoring the situation emphasize the urgent need for more effective measures to combat child labor, increased inspections, and deterrent penalties to prevent similar tragedies. The undeniable truth that children, who are the future of Turkey, should be in schools and playgrounds, not on construction sites, has been loudly reiterated.

Source: İsig Meclisi