A fire that raged from a 16-story building in central Istanbul killed at least 29 people, with flames and thick smoke billowing for hours despite a massive emergency response. Several people were detained over the blaze that began in a basement where builders had been renovating a nightclub.

İstanbul

A devastating fire erupted in a 16-story building in the heart of Istanbul, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 29 lives. The inferno, marked by dense smoke and relentless flames, persisted for hours even amidst a substantial emergency response effort. The origin of the fire has been traced back to the building's basement, where construction workers were engaged in the renovation of a nightclub. Following the incident, authorities have detained several individuals in connection with the blaze.



Deadly fire tears through Istanbul apartment block

Stunned and powerless, residents of Istanbul's Beşiktaş neighborhood could only stand by and watch as the flames engulfed the ground floor of the 16-story residential building. Minutes later, firefighters arrived at the scene with over 30 vehicles and managed to extinguish the blaze. But inside the masquerade nightclub, where the fire started, the damage was already done. The establishment, which occupies the building's basement and ground floors, had been closed for renovation for nearly a month. Its owners were reportedly hoping to finish the work before reopening on April 10th, at the end of Ramadan, but Istanbul's mayor said they hadn't filed for the necessary permits. There was no application to the municipality for a renovation or a construction permit for this place. And because it's on the ground floor, the repair work wasn't visible from outside. Local authorities were inspecting the building to assess its safety and launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Six people were detained for questioning, including the nightclub's manager.

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