Fire in apartment building housing a nightclub in Istanbul: 29 people killed, 5 arrested

In the Turkish city of Istanbul, a major fire in an apartment building that also houses a nightclub has claimed the lives of 29 people. At least one other person was seriously injured. The police have arrested five people.

The fire started around 12.47 pm local time during work in the basement of the sixteen-storey building in the Gayrettepe district. The Masquerade nightclub is located on that floor. Some works were carried out there during Ramadan, because the disco is closed then. The club was supposed to reopen next week, but this may not be possible due to the fire.

According to local media, the fire started after an explosion near the stage, after which the room was quickly filled with flames and smoke. There was no escape for the staff and workers present. 31 fire engines with 86 firefighters on board arrived on the scene and brought the fire under control.

29 deaths

29 of those present died as a result of the fire. Initially there were 15 deaths, but the number increased very quickly. Many seriously injured people were taken to hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. At least one seriously injured person is still there according to local media.

An investigation has been opened into the cause and circumstances of the fire, Governor Davut Gül said in a statement. Five people have been arrested by the police since the fire broke out. This includes people who were responsible for the safety of the work. According to Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the nightclub did not have the necessary permits to carry out work. He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.