A devastating blaze erupted during daytime repair work at a nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, resulting in the loss of at least 32 lives on Tuesday.
The fire broke out in the Besiktas district, located in central Istanbul on the European side of the city, with all victims identified as construction workers involved in the renovation project.
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The blaze commenced shortly before 1 p.m. local time at a 16-story building on Gonenoglu Street, a bustling thoroughfare within Istanbul’s Gayrettepe neighbourhood.
Upon notification, fire, medical and police teams were dispatched to the scene. Police took precautions in the surrounding area.
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_psEmbed(“https://uknip.photoshelter.com”);Firefighters intervened with 31 vehicles and 86 personnel in the fire.
The injured were transferred to hospitals in the region.
The Masquerade Club, in the basement of a high-rise building in Istanbul, was closed and being renovated during the day.
The fire broke out just after midday, Istanbul governor Davut Gül said, adding that the cause was unclear.
Mr Gül said that the victims of the fire were thought to have been involved in the renovation work.
Several people have been arrested in connection with the fire as investigations continue.
They include the nightclub manager and the manager of the renovations.
