Istanbul governor confirms gas explosion behind building collapse

The Governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül, has issued a statement regarding the collapse of two buildings in the city.

As reported by AzerNEWS, initial assessments suggest the incident was caused by a natural gas explosion. The blast led to the collapse of two adjacent houses, one two?storey and one single?storey.

Governor Gül reported that nine people were trapped under the debris. Rescue operations began immediately under the coordination of district authorities and emergency services. So far, seven people have been taken to hospital, while one victim has been located under the rubble and is expected to be rescued shortly. Efforts continue to find and save another missing individual.

He emphasized that these are preliminary findings and updates will be shared with the public as new information emerges. Search and rescue teams are working under challenging conditions in a narrow area, which is why access to the site has been restricted.

The governor added that AFAD will conduct necessary evaluations, and any buildings deemed unsafe will be evacuated. Authorities are also ensuring shelter, food, and other needs for affected residents. Importantly, none of the injured are currently in life?threatening condition.