Three floors of a Maltepe apartment block collapse, rescue teams search for trapped residents

Around 05:40 on Thursday, the bottom three levels of a seven-storey block in Istanbul’s Maltepe district gave way, sending debris onto the street. Emergency services including the fire department, police, health officials and AFAD rescue units arrived quickly and began searching the wreckage. Governor Davut Gül reported that five residents have been saved, while efforts to locate an estimated seven trapped individuals are ongoing.

The structure, built in 1987, contains 12 apartments and is home to about 33 people, according to population data. Four apartments suffered damage, and two residents were confirmed absent at the time of the collapse. The provincial authorities have also evacuated nearby buildings deemed unsafe and are maintaining a strong presence on the scene.