Eight people, including three children, have been rescued after a seven-story building partially collapsed in Istanbul, Turkey, early Thursday. Rescue teams are searching for four more people who may remain trapped beneath the rubble.
The Istanbul building collapse occurred in the Maltepe district on October 8, 2026. The first three floors of the residential building gave way, while the upper floors remained standing.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the collapse.
Emergency services received the first report at approximately 5:40 a.m. local time. Rescue teams immediately rushed to Doğu Street in the Cevizli neighborhood.
Istanbul Building Collapse Triggers Major Rescue Operation
Emergency workers first evacuated residents trapped on the building’s upper floors. Other teams searched the debris for survivors.
Rescuers pulled four people alive from the rubble, including two children. Medical teams transported the injured survivors to nearby hospitals.
The total number of rescued people reached eight, including those evacuated from the upper floors.
Search teams deployed specially trained dogs to locate anyone still trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
According to Türkiye Today, a textile workshop on the building’s ground floor was empty when the incident occurred.
Authorities closed nearby streets and established a security perimeter around the damaged building.
Rescue workers also brought in heavy machinery from neighboring municipalities to support the operation.
However, the unstable upper floors created additional risks. Emergency personnel took special precautions while entering the remaining structure.
Istanbul Governor Says Rescued Residents Are Not in Life-Threatening Condition
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül confirmed that none of the eight rescued people had life-threatening injuries.
However, he warned that the number of missing people could change as authorities gathered more information.
Investigators must determine whether visitors were inside the building when it collapsed. They are also checking whether some residents had already left before the incident.
Gül said authorities would examine the building’s construction permits and other official documentation.
The investigation will also consider whether administrative or legal irregularities contributed to the disaster.
The governor emphasized that rescuing trapped residents remains the immediate priority.
Emergency teams are also arranging temporary accommodation for evacuated residents and providing medical assistance to those injured.
As a precaution, authorities evacuated nearby buildings that could face structural risks.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continue at the scene as investigators work to establish the cause of the collapse.
The fate of the four people believed to be missing remains uncertain.
