23 July 2010 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
A fire that broke out in the forest surrounding Atatürk Dam in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa’s Bozova district on Wednesday night was brought under control Thursday afternoon thanks to the concerted efforts of 200 firefighters, news reports stated.
A large number of fire brigades from neighboring cities, such as Adıyaman, were immediately sent to the scene to control the blaze along with firefighters and gendarmerie teams from Şanlıurfa. According to initial reports, the cause of the fire is still unknown.Şanlıurfa Governor Nuri Okutan and Bozova District Governor Mehmet Özel arrived on the scene to survey the damage. Okutan, who made a statement to reporters, said many firefighters worked to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading to other areas. “There is no information with regard to the cause of the fire. One hundred fifty soldiers, 50 locals and 20 fire engines were involved in extinguishing it. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed in the blaze,” Okutan said, underlining that a necessary investigation will be carried out to discover the cause of the blaze.
