Istanbul nightclub fire: Five arrested after dozens dead

Police have made swift arrests after a fire swept through a nightclub killing dozens and leaving others badly burnt.

At least 29 people have died and one has been left fighting for survival in hospital after a blaze ripped through a closed nightclub in Turkey.

Firefighters battled to free workers trapped in the basement Masquerade club as the fire took hold of the two-floor venue beneath a residential tower block in Istanbul’s Gayrettepe district at midday on Tuesday local time.

The blaze had broken out during construction work in the first and second floors below ground, which housed a nightclub, governor Davut Gul told reporters. Picture: AFP

The nationalities of the victims are not yet known.

Governor of Istanbul Davut Gul confirmed an investigation was underway adding the cause of the blaze had not yet been established.

Mr Gul said that most of the victims are thought to have been carrying out renovation work to the venue.

People mourn for loved ones who died after a fire broke out at the Masquerade nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey. Picture: Getty Images

The fire began at 7.47pm Tuesday, AEST, and was only brought under control by firefighters hours later.

Five people have been arrested in connection with the fire including three workplace officials, the nightclub manager and the manager of the renovations.

ANKARA: At least 29 workers died in a fire that broke our at a night club in Istanbul, Turkey, that was undergoing renovations. pic.twitter.com/Il9JqG08hw

— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) April 2, 2024

Firefighters and other first responders surrounded the charred entrance to the club, which occupies two floors beneath a 16-storey residential building.

Emergency personnel intervene at the site of a fire in a residential building in Istanbul. Picture: AFP

The number of victims has rapidly increased throughout the afternoon, with the governor’s office issuing continuous updates.

The new Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, rushed to the scene and offered his condolences on social media, writing on Twitter/X, “May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to our injured.”

A firefighter intervenes at the site of a fire in a residential building in Istanbul. Picture: AFP

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.

Relatives of victims react near the site of a fire in a residential building in Istanbul. Picture: AFP

The blaze had broken out during construction work in the first and second floors below ground, which housed a nightclub, officials told reporters.

“An investigation has been opened into the fire in Gayrettepe,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on X.

Originally published as Istanbul nightclub fire: Five arrested after dozens dead