A mother died after plummeting seven floors in a malfunctioning elevator while her husband desperately tried to save her from outside the doors in Tarsus, Turkey, on September 30, 2025.
Pelin Yasot Kiyga was leaving her seventh-floor apartment in an 11-story building in the Altaylilar district to go to work when the elevator began malfunctioning. Security camera footage captured the terrifying moments as her husband, 34-year-old Gokhan Kiyga, frantically attempted to pry open the elevator doors after she called to tell him she was stuck.
The footage shows Gokhan speaking on his phone with his wife while working alongside two other men to resolve the problem. He can be seen pressing buttons and trying to force the doors open as the situation grew increasingly desperate. After hearing a loud crash, the elevator cabin jammed before plummeting down the shaft along with heavy concrete counterweights.
During his frantic rescue attempt, Gokhan injured his foot while trying to reach his wife. The video shows him holding his head in despair before racing down the stairs as he realized the severity of what had happened. Gokhan later recalled that he “tried to pull her out of the lift until the last moment.”
Emergency crews including paramedics and police were dispatched to the scene within minutes. Firefighters removed Pelin from the elevator wreckage and transported her to the district state hospital, where doctors worked to save her life. Despite medical intervention, the young mother from Mersin died from her injuries, leaving behind one child.
The Tarsus District Governorate confirmed the incident in an official statement, explaining that their citizen was seriously injured as a result of concrete blocks from the elevator cabin weight accelerating and falling to the ground together with the cabin. The agency noted that despite all medical interventions at the hospital, she lost her life.
Police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the elevator collapse, questioning 17 people connected to the case. The interviews included representatives from the elevator company, the property manager, and maintenance supervisors. Authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with the incident: the former company manager responsible for the elevator’s maintenance, the current manager, and the building’s site manager.
Residents of the apartment building later revealed through the building’s WhatsApp group that the elevator had been experiencing malfunctions for more than one month leading up to the tragedy. These complaints suggest ongoing maintenance issues that may have contributed to the fatal accident.
The Tarsus Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened a formal investigation into Kiyga’s death. Officials reported that the boat had passed its last safety inspection eight months prior to the incident, with no technical issues documented at that time. However, the exact cause of the elevator’s catastrophic failure remains unknown as investigators continue their work.
This incident in Turkey represents a devastating example of mechanical failure in residential buildings. The security footage provides a harrowing record of a husband’s desperate attempt to save his wife’s life, ultimately unsuccessful despite his immediate response and efforts to free her from the malfunctioning elevator.
The investigation continues as authorities work to determine accountability in the case and examine whether proper maintenance protocols were followed. The arrest of three individuals connected to the elevator’s oversight and maintenance suggests potential negligence in the building’s safety systems.