Three people die in fiery explosion in Istanbul’s Kadıköy

ISTANBUL

Three people have lost their lives in a fiery explosion that occurred in an apartment building in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district, while the provincial counterterrorism bureau has launched an investigation into the incident on suspicion of possible terrorist activity.

The explosion occurred on the second floor of a three-story building in the Fikirtepe neighborhood on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. The fire also spread to two adjoining buildings due to successive explosions.

A team of firefighters dispatched upon the notifications brought the fire under control after one hour of strenuous efforts.

A 10-year-old girl, her 68-year-old grandfather and another person lost their lives, while the child’s father got injured due to smoke inhalation, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya informed.

The child, grandfather and the injured father were Uzbekistanis, while the identity of the other person who died could not be determined, Yerlikaya stated.

The intensity of the explosion also caused damage to surrounding buildings and parked vehicles.

Meanwhile, the counterterrorism bureau of the provincial prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the explosion due to suspected terrorist activity.

Shortly after the explosion, the provincial governor’s office stated the cause of the incident was a natural gas leak but that the exact cause will be clarified at the end of the investigation.

“After the explosion, the apartment building shook so much that we thought it would collapse. I thought that the building was in an urban transformation process and is being demolished,” stated Fatma Akbaş, an eyewitness residing in the building opposite the exploded one.

Pointing out that the flames engulfed the building, the windows exploded and the roof started to burn, Akbaş noted that some people jumped out of the windows as they got scared of the sound of the explosion.

“The child who died there was in the same class as my child. We are very sad. Her father tried to save her. That desperation was terrible,” she added.