Istanbul: At least 29 people were killed in a fire that broke out during renovation work at a nightclub in Istanbul on Tuesday, officials said. They said some people, including the club’s managers, were detained for questioning.
At least one person was being treated in a hospital, the Istanbul governor’s office said in a statement. The nightclub was closed for renovation work. The club was on the ground floor and basement of a 16-floor residential building in the Besiktas district on the European side of the city, divided by the Bosphorus Strait. The fire has been extinguished.
Governor Davut Gul told reporters at the scene that an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the fire and that the victims were believed to have been involved in renovation work. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tank said authorities had detained five people for questioning, including the club’s manager and the person in charge of renovation work.
Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said officials were inspecting the entire building to assess safety. He said several fire and medical teams were sent to the scene.
