29 killed as fire engulfs nightclub in central Istanbul

Istanbul, April 2

At least 29 people were killed when a fire engulfed the Masquerade nightclub in central Istanbul during daytime renovation work, Turkish authorities said on Tuesday.

Firefighters doused the charred entrance to the club as paramedics rushed victims into ambulances. The club, closed for month-long renovation, occupies two basement floors beneath a 16-storey residential building.

Six people were detained over the blaze as part of an ongoing investigation, the city governor’s office said. Footage showed smoke billowing from the basement floors and flames rising to the third floor of the building. Corridors leading to the club’s entrance were completely charred. — Reuters