Ironworkers rebuilding the city in scorching heat in Kahramanmaraş

The reconstruction process initiated in Kahramanmaraş following the February 6 earthquakes continues uninterrupted despite the scorching heat brought by the summer months. Ironworkers tasked at the foundations of new residences and workplaces rising in every corner of the city start working with the first light of the sun and sweat until the evening. These workers, who perform iron tying and welding operations, struggle with the extra difficulty created by the heat of the iron and welding they directly touch, in addition to the air temperature. These physically exhausting working conditions place the fate of the city, which wants to heal the wounds of the earthquake, largely on the shoulders of these laborers. Their determination emerges as the most concrete indicator of the hope for Kahramanmaraş to return to its old days.

Hasan Geçgin, one of the ironworkers interviewed on the site, emphasizes that despite acknowledging the unsuitability of the current weather conditions, they have no choice but to go to work. Geçgin states that extreme heat is physically very tiring, but they have to endure these harsh conditions in order to provide for their families. Stating that earning a living comes before everything else, the master clearly expresses that they do not have the luxury of not working. This situation reveals the climatic difficulties and livelihood concerns that construction workers in many parts of Turkey face similarly. Today, as heatwaves become more frequent, the risks faced by workers in such sectors are increasing.

Another ironworker, Aziz Şanlıoğlu, describes the severity of the heat directly with the simile "if you throw an egg on the ground, it will cook". Şanlıoğlu notes that doing ironwork under the sun has become very difficult to endure, even creating an unbearable life and work environment. However, despite these extreme temperatures, he records that they do not refrain from working in the summer months just as they worked in cold weather conditions. In this environment that pushes the limits of human endurance, it is of great importance for workers to consciously pay attention to water consumption and shading. What Şanlıoğlu tells proves that the physical hardship experienced in the field is on a completely different level than an ordinary summer day.

Iron crafting and welding master Cuma Polat does not limit the temperature issue to just the heat of the air, but also takes into account the additional heat arising from the nature of the job. Polat explains that the temperatures shown by thermometers between 42 and 45 degrees, combined with the iron heating up in the sun and the fire created by the welding machine, turn the work area into a veritable furnace. Recalling that they even worked in freezing cold below zero within the scope of the struggle for a living, which he describes as a fight for bread, the master says that the responsibility of bringing lawful sustenance to their families enables them to endure all kinds of hardships. These sentences reflect the traditional resilience and fighting spirit of the Turkish worker against difficulties in the clearest form.

In the continuation of Cuma Polat's statements, the truth that the greatest motivation underlying this arduous work is to serve Kahramanmaraş comes to the forefront. Reminding that their hometown suffered massive destruction, Polat expresses that the idea of building a more beautiful and safe Kahramanmaraş gives them the power to overcome all kinds of difficulties. Emphasizing that they will continue to produce for the rebuilding of the city no matter how stifling and exhausting the weather gets, the master also underlines that he does his job with love. Along with this state of mind, the rapid and comprehensive reconstruction works initiated after the earthquake make a significant contribution to both changing the physical silhouette of the city and the moral recovery of society.