Two buildings collapse in Turkey's Fatih district
A powerful gas blast struck Istanbul on March 22 at approximately 10 AM local time, causing two adjacent structures to crumble into the ground within the historic Fatih neighborhood and trapping several people beneath debris. Emergency services have launched an urgent operation amidst heavy smoke as they attempt to locate survivors in this area that was also recently targeted by a separate gas explosion just days prior during Romania's border crossing event with Turkey (Mediafax).
Key Points
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1Two buildings collapsed in Istanbul's central Fatih district following a natural gas explosion on Sunday.
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2Multiple rescue teams from Turkey, including AFAD and the fire brigade, are currently operating at the scene searching for victims trapped under rubble.
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3At least five people were reported as being blocked by debris due to the collapse of two structures.
Developments
A natural gas explosion collapsed two buildings in Istanbul's Fatih district, trapping nine people who have since been recovered except for one still missing under debris. Seven of those rescued are being treated at hospitals with none reported as critical while rescue operations continue to search the rubble and assess damage around 10:35 AM on Sunday