Did arson kill 81-year-old animal lover in Ankara? Shocking allegations surface
81-year-old Ulker Guleryuz, who lost her life in a fire at her gecekondu in Ankara, with her dog and the burning house. (Photos via IHA; Photo collage by Türkiye Today team)
A devastating fire in Ankara’s Altindag district has claimed the life of 81-year-old animal lover Ulker Guleryuz, known in the neighborhood as “Necla Teyze.”
The elderly woman who cared for stray animals was unable to escape the flames that engulfed her home. Disturbing footage of the fire captured by locals has raised concerns about the possibility of arson.
Eyewitness claims: ‘They burned her alive’
The fire broke out around 7:50 p.m. in a gecekondu (shantytown house) located on 745th Street in the Gultepe Neighborhood, where Guleryuz lived. Upon seeing flames rise from the house, neighbors immediately alerted the fire department, police, and medical teams.
Firefighters managed to put out the blaze and pulled Guleryuz from the house, but paramedics confirmed that she had already lost her life. Her body was taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy.
Initial investigations suggested that the fire may have been caused by an electric heater inside the home. However, authorities have launched a thorough inquiry to determine whether arson was involved.
Shocking footage from the fire scene recorded by a resident has further fueled speculation. In the video, a woman can be heard desperately shouting, “Necla Teyze, get out!” before making a chilling claim: “They set the old woman’s house on fire. They burned her alive. If we had arrived ten minutes earlier, we could have saved her.”
A bitter dispute over a dog?
Just hours before the fire, Guleryuz had an argument with municipal teams who had come to take away one of the dogs she cared for.
A video circulating on social media shows her visibly distressed as she confronts the officials.
Animal rights activists have pointed to this incident as a possible link to the fire. Haydar Ozkan, Vice President of the Animals’ Right to Life Confederation, expressed outrage, stating:
“In the morning, Altindag Municipality teams took away her microchipped dog. By evening, social media accounts hostile to animals had targeted her. How can anyone justify taking away an 80-year-old woman’s animals? This public targeting led to her tragic death. We demand an immediate investigation into the accounts that incited hatred against her.”
Calls for justice from animal rights activists
Following the tragedy, animal rights supporters gathered at the scene, calling for a thorough investigation. Yasemin Unal, a neighbor who last saw Guleryuz around 5:00 p.m., emphasized that there was no gas stove or cooking equipment in the house, strengthening suspicions of arson.
“I saw the fire and ran to break down the door,” Unal recounted. “I screamed, ‘Necla Teyze, come out!’ Maybe she tried to get up and fell. I don’t know if she died from smoke inhalation or burned to death, but most likely she was burned alive. I tried to put out the fire with water, but I couldn’t.”
A different claim has emerged on social media regarding Ulker Guleryuz
Turkish singer Haluk Levent announced on social media that Ulker Guleryuz, who lived in a makeshift, old shanty house, was provided with a warm apartment by former Altindag Mayor Asim Balci in 2020. So why was Guleryuz still living in a shanty house?
Social media users are sharing videos from this 2020 event and expressing their reactions.
It was learned that Guleryuz, who had no relatives, was taken into the care of her neighbors after the necessary procedures. Following the afternoon prayer, her funeral prayer was held at Ahmet Efendi Mosque in Karsiyaka Cemetery.
After the prayer, Guleryuz’s body was laid to rest amidst tears. Known for her love for animals, many animal lovers, individuals from civil society organizations, and neighbors attended Guleryuz’s funeral.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with authorities promising a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding Guleryuz’s tragic death.
