Dozens killed in a nightclub fire in Istanbul

At least 29 people were killed and another injured in a fire at a nightclub in Türkiye.

The Masquerade Club, located in the basement of a high-rise building in Istanbul, has been closed and is being renovated during the day.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul said that the fire broke out shortly after midday, adding that the cause was unclear.

Mr Goel said he believed the fire victims were involved in the renovation work.

Arrest warrants have been issued for eight people, including the nightclub manager and a person responsible for the renovations, in connection with the fire as investigations continue.

Three of them were arrested, while arrest warrants are still pending for the others.

Firefighters and other responders surrounded the charred and smoking entrance to the club, which occupies two floors below a 16-storey apartment building in the city's Gayretepe district.

The death toll rose rapidly throughout the afternoon, as the governor's office issued a series of updates.

Istanbul's re-elected mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, said the club had not applied for the correct building permit.

“There is no application [to the local municipality] For renovation or construction regarding the place and since it was two floors below ground level, it [the work] “It wasn't visible,” he said.

He also offered his condolences on social media to the victims.

He said in a previous post on Twitter: “May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery for our injured.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan learned of the tragedy after a phone call with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.