The May 19
fire
in Baku’s Binagadi district sent shockwaves throughout Azerbaijan. Citizens struggle to comprehend how this tragedy happened, which took the lives of 16 people and left scores injured. National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) Chairman Jamil Hasanli sheds some light on the causes of the deadly incident in a candid interview with Meydan TV.
Tell us about what happened on May 19.
First of all, this was a tragedy. A a lot of people faced an unexpected fire in a high-rise building. But not only the fire – intoxication, caused by the material used to cover the façade and made of chemical substances and petroleum waste. Hopefully, an investigation will provide some clarity because a lot of people have lost their lives due to the fire and intoxication. Concerned government bodies carry a direct responsibility for this – first of all, the executive authority of Baku city. How was the agreement with the company made? Who gave the permission for that construction material to be used? These questions need to be answered. The Ministry of Emergency Situations also carries direct responsibility. Because giving feedback on whether or not the construction material is suitable is part of the ministry’s responsibilities.
Recently, a building cladded with flammable material caught fire in the Khatai district, but no measures have been taken to address the issue of hazardous materials since then. Will any measures be taken now?
We as people never learn our lesson from such incidents. In fact, what happened in the Khatai district was a precursor of the May 19 tragedy. Emergency measures should have been taken back then.
There’s another issue at play here. Flammable material was used to decorate the capital really fast due to the European Games. This means that the government’s approach to this issue was to decorate everything without actually improving. Mind you that this cover was used for buildings located in central streets and large avenues. Even buildings of some executive authority offices are covered with this flame-sensitive material. If the issue is seriously investigated, it will be discovered that schools and kindergartens are also covered with the same material. Most buildings near Sumgayit (a town not far from Baku) were covered with flammable material. I believe there’s some big fraud involved in this issue.
What do you mean?
Those flammable materials are really cheap. This is exactly why they covered the entire city with this material. High-level officials stand behind this deal. As far as I know, this issue was raised at the government level, but some high-ranking official silenced those discussions. If the material is brought from abroad, those who gave permission for this must be identified.
Secondly, as far as I know, the material is produced inside the country and is made of petroleum and industrial waste. This is why it is not possible to stop the threat through getting rid of that cover only on the first floor of the building. Three days ago, I had a conversation about this with a friend who is a chemist. He said that whoever gave permission for the buildings to be covered with this material made a really dangerous move. Because that material does not only catch fire from a burning match, but it can also burn from high temperatures. He said that even hot weather can cause a fire. For this reason, you cannot put people in such a danger.
One simple example, if a child throws something burning from a high-story balcony, the entire building can catch fire. Or, people throw fireworks during holidays, which can also cause fire. I believe
t
he government must shoulder responsibility for putting people in danger without getting expert opinion.
Did you know that the Ministry of Emergency Situations officials demand bribes to even authorize buildings that house university professors? If the technical parameters of that building fit the standards, then it can be approved. If not, authorizing a building construction after receiving a bribe is laying the foundation for a tragedy.
Government officials have provided some explanations and established a state commission but no mourning day was declared in the country. Why?
This is a big tragedy and a mourning day must be declared. The scale of this tragedy will grow. We are talking about toxic gases here. In those cases where doors and windows are made of wood, the degree of toxicity is different. However, if they are made of chemicals, it will cause intoxication. The media have published numerous pieces warning that these materials are toxic.
However, these people’s greed is deeper than the largest fire.
A criminal case was filed, and Miryusikh Mahmudov, whose company was responsible for cladding the building, was detaine
d. Will this arrest bring justice for victims?
Miryusikh Mahmudov is only an executor. His company does not produce that material, they only buy it. And the producer is in Azerbaijan. Proper licenses need to be acquired for every single company to start functioning. The media has been writing about this for a long time, but no one has paid attention.
Was this incident an attempt of sabotage to cast a shadow over the European Games?
There’s no need for sabotage. The sabotage has started from the moment they began to produce that cladding material. If that material gets burned from the heat of the sun, what sabotage are we talking about?! A passer-by can throw his cigarette under the building, and the fire will start…
Azerbaijani TV channels continued to broadcast entertainment shows while the tragedy was unfolding. What do you think about this?
TV channels in Azerbaijan are not independent. Their “national cord” is in the hands of the Presidential Administration. They need to get orders to stop the shows and entertainment programs. Otherwise, there will be no change. They cannot stop all that spree by themselves. Because this spree, which began with the European Games, makes even the smoke of the burning building invisible behind entertainment.
