Volunteer Firefighter Dies While Battling Wildfire in Turkish Province

Rubel Rana
September 11, 2026

A volunteer firefighter has died in Turkey after assisting local emergency services in their efforts to contain a significant wildfire in the Mediterranean coastal province of Antalya. The victim, identified as Aksu resident Hasan Kahya, suffered a heart attack after being affected by smoke while working to help crews tackle the blaze. He later died in a hospital, according to the district’s mayor, Isa Yildirim.

The fire originated on Monday in the Aksu district and, fueled by strong winds, expanded rapidly into the neighboring Kepez district, necessitating the evacuation of hundreds of residents from their homes. The cause of the wildfire remains unknown. In addition to the fatality, eight other people have been injured; two individuals were hospitalized on Tuesday with leg burns, while six others received treatment for smoke inhalation. Furthermore, over 100 dogs were successfully evacuated from an animal shelter located in Aksu.

Operations to bring the blaze under control remained ongoing as of Wednesday. The forestry directorate reported that the intensity of the fire has been reduced. According to the state-run Anadolu Agency, the emergency response includes more than 1,000 firefighters, 169 fire extinguishing trucks, nine helicopters, and at least three firefighting planes.

In a separate incident, emergency crews are also working to contain a wildfire in the district of Kozan, situated in the southern province of Adana. Local authorities confirmed that hundreds of residents have been evacuated from that area as well.


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Content: Collected | Source: ABC News

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