Three people were rescued and at least one person died after an eight-story apartment building in the Kartal district on Istanbul's Asian side collapsed on Wednesday, Daily Sabah reportts.
Rescue teams are searching for at least four others believed to be trapped under the rubble. One woman has been rescued. She was reportedly rushed to the hospital to receive treatment.
Scores of Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) personnel, fire crews, police and emergency medical teams were on the scene in Cevizli neighborhood. Additional rescue teams were on their way from Sakarya and Bursa provinces to provide additional support.
The apartment building had 14 flats. The local headman of Orhantepe neighborhood, Zeki Dağ, told CNN Türk that about 27 to 30 people were living in the building. He said about 15 people are believed to be trapped under the rubble, and that the textile workshop on the lower floor of the building was empty at the time of the incident.
Cevizli local headman Memiş Dikilitaş told Turkish broadcaster NTV that there was no explosion preceding the collapse, but that the building, which was very old, collapsed on its own.
A few passersby were lightly injured in the collapse.
