Knowledge Base
Expert Insight Series · 01

What Happens After a Fire?

Once the fire brigade leaves, the real question begins: who is liable, who pays, and who goes to prison? Fire forensics veteran Devrim Akbal walks through the entire path from the ashes of a fire to the courtroom, under Turkish law.

Source: Expert interview with Devrim AkbalFirm: Tepeli Yangın Danışmanlık Tic. A.Ş.

30-Second Summary

  • A deliberately set fire (arson) is a crime. If intent is proven, prison time is on the table.
  • If there was no intent (short circuit, negligence, overload) it is not a crime — but under strict liability you can still be held to pay for the damage.
  • The process splits in two: if insured, an insurance loss adjuster (regulated by the Ministry of Trade) investigates; in every case, Police → Prosecutor → Court follows.
  • If the prosecutor finds no sabotage, the file moves to civil court as a compensation claim.
  • THE ONE KEY DOCUMENT: The single document that shapes both the prison risk and the compensation outcome — the independent expert report (Civil Procedure Code Art. 293 / Criminal Procedure Code Art. 67).
FULL PROCESS MAP

From Before the Fire to the Courtroom

The flow below shows, on a single line, how a fire moves from the preparation stage through to the insurance and legal tracks once it is out. Both tracks converge on the same question: whose fault is it, and how much?

Before the Fire
Preparation and prevention
Suppression system & sprinklersFire extinguisher / fire cabinetPersonal protective equipmentStaff fire-response training
During the Fire
Immediate response
Call the fire service immediatelyFight it with what you haveDon't touch it past head heightCan't put it out: shut, cut, get out
After the Fire
This is what the article covers ↓
The Scene Is Now Under Investigation
the process forks here
If Insured
Insurance Loss Adjuster Review
Regulated by the Ministry of Trade
Fault Share & Settlement Offer
Always
Police: Scene Report + Statement
establishes why the fire started
Prosecutor’s Investigation
Fire Brigade: Incident Report
a separate document from the fire-safety permit
Was There Intent / Sabotage?
Yes
Crime: Arson
Criminal Case
prison risk if intent is proven
No
Not a Crime
Strict Liability
Civil Court
compensation / recourse claims
The factor that shapes both tracks

Independent Expert Report

A technical report prepared by an independent specialist directly reshapes the fault share in both the insurance negotiation and the courtroom.

Civil Procedure Code Art. 293 · Criminal Procedure Code Art. 67
↑ Insurance Loss Adjuster Review↑ Civil Court / Prosecutor
The full line, from fire preparation through to the insurance and legal tracks that follow once a fire is out — the one factor shaping the fault share on both branches is the independent expert report.

Crime or Liability?

These two get conflated constantly, but the outcomes are entirely different. In Devrim Akbal’s words: “Starting a fire isn’t a crime — but starting it deliberately is.”

If There Was Intent

Crime & Prison Risk

If the fire was started knowingly and deliberately (arson), this is a criminal matter. If the prosecutor finds sabotage, the file goes to criminal court; if intent is proven, prison time follows.

If There Was No Intent

Strict Liability

If the fire started from a short circuit, negligence, or overload, this is not a crime. You won’t go to prison — but under the principle of strict liability, you may still be required to compensate the resulting damage.

“Starting a fire deliberately is a crime. But if it started from a short circuit or negligence, that isn’t a crime — it’s a liability. If you’re not at fault, you won’t go to prison — but this time you’re liable, and you pay for the damage.”

Devrim Akbal · Fire Forensics Expert, Tepeli Yangın Danışmanlık Tic. A.Ş.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is starting a fire always a crime?+
No. It isn’t the fire itself that’s a crime, but starting it deliberately (arson). Fires caused by a short circuit, negligence, or overload are not treated as crimes under criminal law — instead, civil liability applies.
What does strict liability mean?+
It means you can be held legally liable for damage even without intent or gross negligence. It doesn’t carry a prison sentence, but it may require you to compensate the damage — for example, if a neighboring flat was damaged by water or smoke.
What’s the difference between an insurance loss adjuster and an independent expert report?+
An insurance loss adjuster, regulated by the Ministry of Trade, assesses the damage on behalf of the insurance company. An independent expert report is prepared by a specialist registered on the official court-expert roster, defending your (or the other party’s) legal interests with technical data — and can also advise the insurance loss adjuster.
What should be done in the first hours after a fire?+
If you face a fire you cannot put out, secure your safety first; if possible, close windows and doors and cut the power at the breaker. Then wait for the fire brigade and police report without touching the scene — preserving evidence directly determines how strong the later expert report can be.
What can I do if the insurer assigns me a high fault share?+
Against a one-sided insurance fault assessment, an independent expert report can document the real distribution of fault (for example, the utility company, building management, or third parties) with technical data, raising your payout share.
What should I do if I can’t put the fire out myself?+
First, close every door, window, and pane in the space and cut the power at the breaker. If you’re in an enclosed, single-storey space such as a factory, get out immediately and move away. If you’re in a multi-storey building, report your exact location to the fire brigade; keep doors sealed with a wet cloth or towel so no air gets underneath, and wait wherever the fire brigade can reach you most easily — a balcony, a room, or the kitchen. Once the fire brigade is on scene, they typically evacuate you within a few minutes. Don’t change location unless there’s an unavoidable danger to your life.
What is the fire brigade’s incident report, and how does it differ from a fire-safety permit inspection?+
In every fire, alongside the police report and the prosecutor’s investigation, the fire brigade also issues a short incident report for the scene. This should not be confused with the fire-safety approval permit / compliance certificate that businesses obtain from the fire brigade during pre-fire inspections — the two are entirely different processes. To avoid confusion, the short document issued after a fire is referred to in the industry as the “incident report.”

When Should You Get Expert Support?

If any of the following applies to you, don’t go into the insurance or court process alone without an independent fault-and-liability analysis.

Your losses came directly from the fire, or indirectly through a neighboring or upstairs/downstairs unit.
The insurer is inflating your fault share to lower the payout.
The prosecutor wants a statement, and you need to technically prove there was no intent.
Neighbors or third parties are trying to hold you liable for damages in civil court.

Devrim Akbal

Decades of field and laboratory experience in fire forensics. Registered on the official court-expert roster, providing technical consulting on fault and liability to both judicial authorities and insurance loss adjusters.

Tepeli Yangın Danışmanlık Tic. A.Ş. · Registered Court-Expert Firm

This content is compiled from a verbal expert interview with Devrim Akbal and is for general informational purposes only; an independent expert opinion is recommended for specific cases.