Multiple deaths after apartment block collapses in Istanbul (VIDEOS)

Dozens of people are feared trapped under the rubble of a seven-story building that collapsed in Istanbul’s Asian quarter. At least three people have died while 12 others have been pulled from the wreckage.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the collapsed 14-unit building in the city’s eastern Kartal district after 16:00 local time. Terrifying CCTV footage, which reportedly captured the moment of the collapse, showed at least a dozen passers-by running for their lives as the building crashes down in a haze of smoke and dust.

Other videos captured rescue workers frantically trying to clear the rubble to reach potential survivors. Tiles, concrete blocks and wooden beams can be seen tossed across the street. At least 86 rescue workers and 26 fire trucks continued to search for survivors through the night, Anadolu news reported.

So far, emergency crews have managed to pull out at least 12 people from the rubble out of a total of 43 residents registered at the address, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya told reporters. Three people have officially been confirmed dead so far.

An investigation was launched to determine the root cause of the incident. So far authorities managed to discover that in 1992 developers were only granted a license to build a five-story building, noting that further floors were added illegally over the years. In addition, a textile factory located in the apartment block’s basement was also operating without a business license.

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