ISTANBUL, Apr 4 (NNN-TRT) – Turkish police have detained nine suspects, in connection with a fire here, which killed 29 people, the Istanbul governor’s office said, yesterday.
Among the detained individuals are a nightclub’s managers and several individuals, responsible for renovation works, the office noted. It emphasised that, a comprehensive investigation into the incident is currently underway.
The fire erupted on Tuesday, during renovation activities at a nightclub, in the basement of a 16-story building in the Gayrettepe neighbourhood of the Besiktas district, on the European side of the city.
Preliminary findings by firefighters suggested that the fire started when fibre materials ignited during welding, and those inside were trapped by intense flames and smoke, unable to find a way out.
NTV broadcaster reported that, the venue had only one exit, and the majority of casualties were caused by smoke inhalation.
Kazim Beceren, head of the Fire Protection and Education Foundation of Türkiye, told the state-run Anadolu Agency that, the incident underscores a failure to implement necessary precautions during the renovation phase, particularly concerning fire safety measures.
Beceren said, such renovation works should have been conducted under the guidance of occupational safety experts and engineers.
Fire safety expert, Levent Yasa, said, the fire’s magnitude was considerable, exacerbated by an abundance of flammable material inside, which tragically resulted in numerous fatalities.
Meanwhile, the Besiktas district municipality emphasised in a statement that, “no application had been submitted to the municipality, regarding the renovation process and no permission had been provided.”
Istanbul’s incumbent mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, inspected the scene on Tuesday and said, municipal teams have been examining the static safety of the building.
“Accordingly, we will support the evacuation of neighbours, if necessary. The building is an old structure,” he told reporters, speaking of the damage caused by the fire.– NNN-TRT
