Istanbul building collapse: death toll rises to 2, several still trapped
A seven-storey building partially collapsed before dawn in Istanbul's Maltepe district; the death toll rose to 2 after a second body was found, with several people still feared trapped.
Rescuers found a second body in the rubble of a partially collapsed seven-storey building in Istanbul's Maltepe district on Thursday, raising the death toll to 2, Istanbul authorities said, according to Iefimerida. The building's three lower floors, including a ground-floor shop, caved in at around 05:40 local time in the Cevizli neighbourhood of Maltepe, on Istanbul's Asian side. Fire crews, police and ambulance teams rushed to the scene, Iefimerida reported.
The Independent, citing Turkey's interior ministry, said 3 people remained trapped after rescue teams pulled 8 more from the rubble. Kathimerini had earlier reported that up to 7 people, including a 6-year-old child, were feared trapped, after 5 people were rescued from the rubble; the two outlets' figures were not reconciled in later reports.
Istanbul governor Davut Gul said rescuers had made contact with the 6-year-old trapped in the rubble but could not reach the child from their current position and were trying a different approach, Kathimerini reported. It was not immediately clear whether the child had since been freed.
Istanbul authorities separately said 10 residents from the building's upper floors were evacuated safely, in addition to 5 people rescued from the collapsed section, according to Iefimerida. Of 14 people registered as living in the 4 flats affected by the collapse, 2 were confirmed to be away from home at the time, the authorities said.
Gul warned the structure was at risk of further collapse, hampering rescue efforts, and said nearby buildings had been evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the collapse was not immediately known and an investigation was under way; Interior Minister Mustafa Tiftikci said 2 ministry inspectors had been assigned to examine the circumstances fully, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.
The building was constructed in 1987 and had 12 flats, with 33 residents on record, Istanbul authorities said. Istanbul and other parts of Turkey are carrying out an urban transformation programme intended to replace old, earthquake-risky buildings with safer housing, Kathimerini reported.
What we know
- Official · Istanbul authorities A seven-storey building in Istanbul's Maltepe district partially collapsed at about 05:40 local time on Thursday, Istanbul authorities said.
- 1 outlet · Iefimerida A second body was found in the rubble, raising the confirmed death toll to 2, Iefimerida reported.
- 2+ outlets · The Independent, Kathimerini English Accounts of how many remain trapped differ: The Independent cited Turkey's interior ministry putting it at 3, after 8 were rescued; Kathimerini had earlier reported up to 7 trapped, including a 6-year-old, after 5 were rescued.
- 1 outlet · Iefimerida The building, constructed in 1987, had 12 flats and 33 registered residents; of 14 people registered in the 4 affected flats, 2 were away at the time.
- Official · Authorities Authorities warned of a risk of further collapse and evacuated nearby buildings as a precaution.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The exact number of people still trapped, which differs between official and media accounts.
- Unconfirmed The cause of the collapse, which is under investigation.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The collapse comes as Istanbul and other Turkish cities run an urban renewal programme meant to replace older buildings considered vulnerable to earthquakes, underlining the risks posed by ageing housing stock in a seismically active country. The scale of the confusion over how many remain trapped shows how fluid the picture still is, hours after the collapse.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- How many people died in the Istanbul building collapse?
- 2 people have been confirmed dead after a second body was found in the rubble, Istanbul authorities said.
- How many people are still trapped?
- Accounts differ: Turkey's interior ministry put it at 3, according to The Independent, while Kathimerini earlier reported up to 7, including a 6-year-old child.
- What caused the collapse?
- The cause was not immediately known; an investigation is under way, with two Interior Ministry inspectors assigned to examine the circumstances.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.