The first three floors of a seven-story building in the Maltepe district of Istanbul have collapsed, Turkish state television TRT Haber reported. Seven people are under the rubble, with three of them still unaccounted for, and a 14-year-old child was pulled out without life-threatening injuries, BTA reported.
The incident was reported this morning at 5:40 local (and Bulgarian) time, after which emergency and rescue teams, medical and police teams, as well as representatives of the prosecutor's office, which launched an investigation into the case, were sent to the scene.
The building had 12 apartments, in which, according to official data, 33 people lived. The ground floor housed a studio, which was unoccupied at the time of the collapse. Those from the upper floors were taken out with the help of rescue teams.
According to Istanbul Governor Davut Gul, the building dates back to 1987. Four out of a total of 33 apartments were affected.
"14 people were registered in the four apartments. Two of them (were not in the building because) they were in their hometowns. Five were rescued. Of the remaining seven, contact was made with four. Rescue and search operations are continuing for the remaining three," the Istanbul Governor said.