Tue 02 April 2024:
The death toll has risen to 29 at a nightclub in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul after a fire broke out during renovation work in the venue, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
Television images showed flames and a column of thick smoke rising from upper storey windows.
The fire began at 12:47 (09:47 GMT) and was brought under control by firefighters hours later, the governor’s office said.
An investigation into the incident was launched, it said.
Arrest warrants were issued for five people, including the management of the club and the person responsible for the renovations, state media reported.
By late afternoon around 20 fire trucks and ambulances were still crowded around the building.
Casualties occurred among construction workers at the nightclub where the blaze broke out on the minus-first and -second floors of a 16-story building in the Besiktas district of the city, the Istanbul Governorship announced in an official statement.
The specific cause of the fire remains unknown, but the statement said it originated from the renovation work.
Upon receiving the alert, firefighters, medical teams, and police swiftly arrived at the scene, with law enforcement securing the area.
Firefighters, with 31 vehicles and 86 personnel, quickly extinguished the flames and brought the situation under control.
“Efforts by rescue teams are ongoing at the site of the incident,” the statement added.
According to the local media, the night club was closed for repairs during Ramadan when the incident happened.
They were preparing for the Eid holiday, which will take place next week.
The number of deaths, which was initially lower, increased as people died after being transferred to the hospital for treatment.
The Masquerade website said it would be closed from March 10 to April 10 “due to our new design renovation”. It can host up to 4,000 people with DJ performances and stage shows several times a week, it says.
Authorities cut power, water and gas to the area and building residents were evacuated as a precaution.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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