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Rescuers search for survivors as Istanbul building collapse kills two

| Updated: February 11, 2019 11:18:53


Rescue workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed residential building in the Kartal district in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday — Reuters photo Rescue workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed residential building in the Kartal district in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday — Reuters photo

Rescuers in the Turkish city of Istanbul have been working through the night to search the rubble of an eight-storey apartment block which collapsed on Wednesday.

At least two people died and seven were injured but it is feared that others are trapped under the mound of debris in the city's Kartal district, according to a BBC report Thursday.

The building was officially home to 43 people living in 14 flats, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said.

It is still not known what caused the disaster on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the governor, the top three storeys of the building had been added illegally.

A textile workshop on the building's lower floor was empty at the time, local official Zeki Dag told local media earlier.

According to CNN Turk, the building collapsed at about 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT).

Firefighters, medics, and police officers rushed to the scene.

As they searched the pile of rubble, rescuers occasionally appealed for quiet to listen for any sounds coming from underneath that might indicate trapped survivors.

 

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