Istanbul flat collapse leaves two dead as rescuers search for survivors

8 Oct 2026 • 11:58 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Istanbul flat collapse leaves two dead as rescuers search for survivors

  • At least two people have died and an unknown number of residents remain trapped after the lower three floors of a seven-storey residential tower block collapsed in Istanbul's Maltepe district at around 5.40am local time.
  • Firefighters successfully evacuated residents from the upper levels that remained standing, while emergency crews deployed search dogs, heavy machinery, and acoustic listening devices to locate survivors beneath tons of concrete.
  • Rescue workers have saved nine people, including three children, and have established contact with several trapped victims, including a six-year-old child under the rubble.
  • Istanbul Governor Davut Gül confirmed that specialised rescue units are proceeding with extreme caution and adjusting their approach due to the severe instability of the site.
  • The cause of the collapse is currently under investigation, coming shortly after a fatal gas explosion in March and amidst municipal findings that over half of recently inspected buildings in Istanbul are at high risk.

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