Turkish local authorities reported that at least 29 people lost their lives on Tuesday when a fire ravaged Istanbul’s underground Masquerade nightclub during daytime renovation work. This incident prompted the evacuation of numerous residents residing above the establishment.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the charred and smoking entrance to the club, which occupies two basement floors, while paramedics swiftly transported victims into ambulances. Earlier footage depicted flames reaching up to the third floor of the residential building, which consists of 16 stories.
The blaze ignited at 12:47 p.m. (0947 GMT) in the city’s Gayrettepe district, leading to the detention of six individuals as part of an ongoing investigation, as stated by the city governor’s office.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was re-elected in Sunday’s elections, addressed reporters outside the building, asserting that there were no records of an application for renovation or construction work at the site. He further emphasized that any such activities would not have been discernible from street level.