Deadly Collapse Raises Alarm: Istanbul Building Implosion Claims Life, Injures Eight

An apartment building collapsed in Istanbul, killing one and injuring eight. The incident has renewed concerns over building safety in the earthquake-prone city. The cause is yet to be determined, but illegal construction is suspected. Authorities have detained the building owner and a business owner.

An apartment building in Istanbul's Kucukcekmece area collapsed on Sunday, killing one person and injuring eight, authorities said, once again raising concerns regarding the city's building resilience amidst its seismic vulnerability.

Firefighters were seen meticulously removing rubble from the five-story building on the city's European side. Istanbul Governor Davut Gul confirmed that seven individuals were initially rescued, two of whom were seriously injured. Subsequently, an additional injured individual was found, along with a body.

The 36-year-old building fell at 8:40 a.m. local time, with no immediate signs of an explosion or earthquake activity. Majority of the structure was occupied by businesses, while only its top two floors served as residences. Surveillance footage showed that pedestrians narrowly avoided falling debris during the collapse.

Urbanisation Minister Mehmet Ozhaseki disclosed that the building failed to meet regulatory standards and had illegal additional stories. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that both the building owner and a restaurant proprietor on the ground floor had been detained. The deceased was identified as a national of Turkmenistan.

The collapse echoes the tragedy of last year's magnitude 7.8 earthquake that devastated southern Turkey and neighboring Syria, exposing the dire need for rigorous building regulation enforcement. Istanbul, home to 16 million, lies perilously close to the North Anatolian Fault, with a history of destructive earthquakes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)