The fire reportedly broke out around midday on the lower two floors of a 16-story apartment building, which were used by the Masquerade nightclub. Pictures showed a charred house wall. It was initially unclear how the fire started. However, the governor’s office wrote that work in the club rooms might have been the trigger.
It was also unclear who the dead were. The Umut-Sen union wrote of dead “workers” and an explosion without citing any sources.
Image: (APA/AFP/OZAN KOSE)
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Image: (APA/AFP/OZAN KOSE)
The public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the cause of the fire. According to the state news agency Anadolu, six people were arrested on Tuesday followingnoon. This should include the manager of the club and the person responsible for the construction work.
The building and nightclub are located in the European Besiktas district of Istanbul. Police and fire departments cordoned off the area.
