The leader of the Polish fire brigade announced on Friday that the firemen will stay in Turkey until the 16th of February, as there is still a possibility of rescuing those affected by the earthquake.
On Tuesday, the Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) team, which consists of 76 firefighters and 8 rescue dogs, arrived in Turkey after the devastating earthquake that had struck the southeastern region of Turkey and northern Syria.
Originally, the HUSAR team was slated to stay in Turkey until Monday, February 13. Nevertheless, Brigadier General Andrzej Bartkowiak, the commander of Poland’s national fire service, declared that they would stay until at least Thursday, February 16.
“There is still a chance to find survivors,” he said.
After consulting with Brigadier Grzegorz Borowiec, the commander of the HUSAR Poland group, Mariusz Kaminski, the Interior Minister, and the Turkish authorities, it was decided to extend the operation.
The group has been searching for people trapped under rubble in the Turkish town of Besni, where nearly 30 houses have collapsed as a result of the earthquake.
So far, they have managed to save 11 people.