25 Killed in Fire in Residential Building in Istanbul
Twenty-five people were killed and three others seriously injured on Tuesday in a fire that broke out in the basement of a 16-story residential building in Istanbul, according to a new toll provided by the governor’s office of the city.
In a statement, the governor’s office said, “Although the fire was extinguished thanks to the intervention of firefighters, 25 people were killed in the accident. Three individuals were admitted to the hospital in critical condition.”
The city’s governor stated in a release that “the number of people who died in the fire in the Gülbahçe area has risen to 15, while eight people were injured, seven of them seriously.”
He also announced that an investigation had been opened into the incident, according to the “France Presse” agency.
The fire broke out during works in the basement of the building located in Gülbahçe, in the Beşiktaş district, the Istanbul governor, Daoud Gül, told journalists.
Meanwhile, Istanbul Mayor Akram Imamoglu, who visited the scene after winning a new term, pointed out the presence of a nightclub in the basement of the building.
He told reporters, “The fire has been brought under control, let’s hope there won’t be an increase in the death toll,” extending his “condolences” to the families of the victims.
