Tragic Family Deaths Spark Hotel Evacuation
A hotel in Istanbul’s Fatih district was evacuated after a German-Turkish mother and her two children died from suspected poisoning, local media reports. The family, holidaying from Hamburg, fell seriously ill after eating street food. The father succumbed to his critical condition in the hospital on Monday, after several days of treatment.
Two other tourists staying at the same hotel were rushed to the hospital on Saturday after showing signs of nausea and vomiting, raising fears of a wider contamination.
Police Launch Investigation, Arrest Eight
Authorities have launched a full probe. So far, eight arrests have been made, including a hotel employee, two pest control workers, and a local baker. Reports say a hotel ground-floor room had recently been sprayed with pesticides — potentially linked to the poisonings.
One hotel owner said there was no restaurant on-site and guests only had access to water. Forensic experts have already taken samples of the hotel’s drinking water for testing.
Suspected Street Food Poisoning Focus of Inquiry
The family reportedly fell ill after eating stuffed mussels from a street vendor, plus soup and kokoreç (a dish made from calf intestines) from another shop, according to Sabah. Anadolu news agency adds that Turkish delight, chicken, and water were also consumed by the victims.
The children, aged 3 and 6, were initially admitted to the hospital midweek and treated for nausea and vomiting before discharge. Their condition later worsened overnight, leading to all family members being hospitalised again. Tragically, the children died first, followed by their mother.
The three were laid to rest on Saturday in Afyonkarahisar province, western Turkey. Four street food vendors are among the suspects held by police as the investigation continues.
