Seven trapped after building collapse in Istanbul

The first three floors of a seven-storey building in the Maltepe district of Istanbul have collapsed, the Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber reported on Thursday. Seven people are trapped under the rubble, and contact is yet to be established with three of them.

A 14-year-old was among the people rescued, CE Report quotes BTA.

The incident was reported at 5:40 a.m., following which emergency services, medical teams and police were dispatched to the scene. The public prosecution service has launched an investigation into the incident.

The building contained 12 flats, in which, according to official figures, 33 people lived. The ground floor housed a studio, which was unoccupied at the time of the collapse.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul reported that the building was finished in 1987. Four of the 33 flats have been affected. Gul added:

"Fourteen people were registered as living in the four flats. Two of them were not in the building, as they were in their hometowns. Five have been rescued. Of the remaining seven, contact has been made with four. Search and rescue operations are continuing for the remaining three."

Photo: Chat GPT