AKIPRESS.COM – The BBC News reports that a fire in a residential building in the Besiktas district of Istanbul has resulted in the deaths of at least 29 individuals.
Istanbul provincial governor Davut Gül initially stated that 25 people had lost their lives and three others were hospitalized with severe injuries.
However, Gül has now confirmed that the death toll has risen to 29, with one injured individual receiving medical treatment.
The fire originated in the basement of a 16-story residential building in the Gayrettepe district (part of Besiktas) at 12:47 a.m. local time.
The Masquerade nightclub, which was undergoing renovations, occupied two floors of the basement.
Preliminary reports suggest that all of the victims were construction workers who were working on the club’s renovations.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. Turkish media has reported that six individuals have been detained in connection with the incident.