Türkiye
Death toll after Istanbul nightclub fire rises to 29
Emergency services at the scene of the fire in Istanbul
© Hakan Akgun/ / Picture Alliance
Many people die when a devastating fire breaks out in an Istanbul club. Construction work is suspected to be the cause and arrests have been made.
The number of deaths after a fire in the rooms of a nightclub in Istanbul has risen to at least 29. The state news agency Anadolu reported this on Tuesday, citing the Istanbul governor’s office. One person is being treated in a hospital with serious injuries. Previously there was talk of 25 deaths and three injured people.
Deadly fire in Istanbul: five arrests
The fire broke out on the lower floors of the 16-story residential building, which was used as a nightclub. According to initial findings, the fire broke out during repair work and has now been extinguished. The exact reason and the identity of the victims were initially unclear. The governor’s office announced an investigation into the fire. Five people have already been arrested, CNN Türk reported, without providing further details. The public prosecutor’s office has initiated an investigation.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was re-elected on Sunday, visited the scene of the accident. There he said: “Let’s hope there aren’t more victims.”
According to the governor’s office, the fire started at 12:47 p.m. (local time, 11:47 a.m. CEST). The building is located in Gayrettepe, a neighborhood in central Istanbul’s Besiktas district. The police and fire brigade cordoned off a large area of the area. It wasn’t until hours later that the fire department was able to bring him under control. Flames and thick columns of smoke could be seen on television images.
Note: This article has been updated several times.