Fire at Istanbul nightclub during renovations leaves 25 dead

ISTANBUL — A fire at an Istanbul nightclub during renovations on Tuesday left 25 people dead and others badly hurt, officials and reports said. Several people have been detained for questioning.


At least eight people were injured, seven of them hospitalized in serious condition, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.


The nightclub, which was closed for the renovations, was on the ground floor of a 16-story residential building in the Besiktas district on the European side of the city bisected by the Bosphorus. The fire was put out.


Gov. Davut Gul told reporters at the scene that the cause of the fire was under investigation, and the victims were believed to be involved in the renovation work.


Authorities detained five people for questioning, including managers of the club and one person in charge of the renovations, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said.