Istanbul Building Collapse Kills Two, Traps Residents in Maltepe

A seven-story residential building on Doğu Street in Maltepe’s Cevizli neighborhood partially collapsed around 05:40 local time on October 8. The first three floors pancaked onto the ground floor, which housed a textile workshop, while the upper four stories remained standing but sustained heavy damage.

Emergency crews from AFAD, the fire department, UMKE, and police rushed to the scene. Rescuers pulled 10 survivors from the rubble, five of them injured, and recovered two bodies. Three people remained unaccounted for as search efforts continued into the day.

“Rescue teams are working with all means to reach the three citizens still under the rubble without interruption.”

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül confirmed the building was constructed in 1987 and contained 12 apartments with 33 registered residents. He warned that the remaining structure was unstable and could collapse further.

Maltepe Mayor Esin Köymen stated the top two floors had been built illegally without permits and that residents had been warned previously. The area is slated for urban transformation.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi visited the site and pledged uninterrupted rescue operations until all missing persons are reached.