Apartment building collapses in Türkiye, 17 people dead
President Erdogan visited the scene of the building collapse, admitting that the government had learned many lessons after the death toll was higher than initially reported.
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Scene of the apartment building collapse in Istanbul on February 6. Photo:AFP |
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the scene of the apartment building collapse in Istanbul today, announcing that 17 people were killed and 14 injured.AFPCity authorities earlier said 15 people were killed and 13 injured.
The incident occurred on February 6 but authorities have yet to determine the cause. Dozens of rescue workers have been mobilized to search for victims amid the rubble.
"We have many lessons to learn from this incident. We will take the necessary measures," President Erdogan said.
President Erdogan also visited the hospital to visit survivors and attend the funeral of nine members of the same family who died. Istanbul officials said 43 people were registered residents of the building.
Turkish media reported that three of the eight floors of the building were built illegally. This is a common practice in Istanbul, home to about 15 million people. A four-story building collapsed in the city last year during severe storms.
