At least 29 killed in fire at Istanbul nightclub

AT least 29 people have been killed in a fire at a nightclub in central Istanbul during daytime repair work, according to the office of the city’s governor, reports Al Jazeera.

Firefighters responded to the fire with 31 vehicles and 86 personnel and extinguished it, the office said.

The fire began at 12:47 (09:47 GMT), the governor’s office added, and was only brought under control by firefighters hours later.

Television images showed flames and a column of thick smoke rushing from upper-storey windows.

The number of people reported killed and hurt rose throughout the afternoon in a string of statements from the governor’s office, as more victims succumbed to their injuries.

The fire, which happened during renovation work, broke out in the entertainment venue on the ground floor of the 16-storey building located in the residential Gayrettepe District.

The nightclub was established on the ground floor and two underground floors, where the flames reportedly spread during the incident.

An investigation into the incident was launched, the governor’s office said.

Five people have been arrested in total, including the management of the club and the person responsible for the renovation, state media said.

The reason why the fire broke out was still unclear and experts were still working on the scene to figure it out.