On Tuesday, the Istanbul governor's office reported that at least 29 people have been killed after a fire broke out during daytime renovation work at a nightclub in central Istanbul. Several people, including managers of the club, were taken into custody for questioning.
The city's governor's office also said that at least one person was being treated in a hospital.
Istanbul Nightclub Fire Kills 29 People
Firefighters and other emergency personnel swarmed the smoldering and burned entrance of the club, which takes up two floors beneath a sixteen-story apartment building in the city's Gayrettepe neighborhood.
As a precaution, people living above the nightclub site were evacuated.
The governor's administration declared that every worker on the site had died. However, they did not state whether they accounted for all the victims.
A private NTV television reported that some of the victims died in hospitals where they were rushed in ambulances.
Governor Davut Gul told reporters at the scene that the victims were believed to have been part of the renovation project.
Ekrem Imamoglu, the newly re-elected mayor of Istanbul, said that inspectors were examining the structure to determine its level of safety. According to his office, eight people, including club managers and the person in charge of the renovations, were arrested by the authorities to be questioned.
Imamoglu said the nightclub had no permission to undertake construction and renovations.
"May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to our injured," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Turkey's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya over the phone and learned of the incident.
According to NTV, the owners of the Masquerade nightclub were trying to finish the renovations in time for the Eid celebration next week, which falls after the month of fasting. For the holy month of Ramadan, observed by Muslims, the nightclub was closed.
The neighborhood's power and natural gas were turned off, and police cordoned off the area as a safety precaution.
Furthermore, the website claimed that Masquerade can accommodate up to 4,000 guests and hosts DJ sets and stage events several times a week.
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Victims in Tears After Tragic Fire
"I've lost four friends," local man Fikret Kaya told AFP as firefighters were leaving the scene, but could not say any more.
A woman with her head in her hands and a black cap was sobbing not far from him.
The location, "Club Masquerade," a well-known Gayrettepe nightclub, featured multiple stages and frequently hosted live performances.
Gov. Gul said that the club's license was originally granted in 1987 and was renewed in 2018 after being "maintained and renovated."
However, the local media stated it was earthquake-prone due to the removal of basement columns and the lack of emergency exits.
