Dramatic rescue efforts are under way in Constantinople after an apartment building partially collapsed, leaving people trapped beneath the rubble.
According to Turkish media, the building in the Maltepe district contained 12 apartments and had a total of 33 registered residents.
Constantinople Governor Davut Gül said several people believed to have been inside the section that collapsed had already been rescued alive.
In an initial update, Gül said five people had been rescued, while another seven were believed to be trapped. Rescue teams were in contact with four of those people as efforts continued to locate the others.
İstanbul'un Maltepe ilçesine bağlı Cevizli Mahallesi'nde sabaha karşı 7 katlı bir binada büyük bir çökme meydana geldi. Binanın alt katlarının ağırlığın etkisiyle yığıldığı faciada enkaz altında 7 kişinin olduğu belirtildi. Gelen son dakika bilgisine göre enkazdan 5 kişi çıkarıldı, zamanla yarış sürüyor. #Maltepe #İstanbul #Bina #AFAD #İtfaiye
— SuperHaber (@superhaber) October 8, 2026
Subsequent reports from Turkish media said six injured people had been pulled alive from the rubble, with search and rescue operations still under way.
‘We woke up as if there had been an earthquake’
Residents described scenes of panic when the building gave way.
“We woke up as if there had been an earthquake,” one local resident said, describing the loud noise and confusion caused when the lower levels of the building collapsed.
A large cloud of dust rose from the site.
According to initial accounts, the building did not collapse completely. Instead, its lower levels gave way and the remaining structure tilted.
Authorities subsequently sealed off the surrounding area because of the risk of a further collapse.
Investigation into cause under way
The exact cause of the collapse remains unknown.
The relevant authorities have launched technical, administrative and judicial investigations to establish what caused the lower floors of the building to give way.
According to Turkish reports, the apartment block was built in 1987, with commercial premises operating on the ground floor.
The area surrounding the building remains closed off as rescue crews continue working with particular caution.
Part of the structure is still standing above the rubble, increasing concerns that additional sections could collapse while the search for those potentially trapped continues.
Maltepe'de 7 katlı binanın 3 katında çökme meydana geldi. Olay yerine AFAD, itfaiye, sağlık ve emniyet ekipleri sevk edildi. #istanbul #maltepe @bpthaber https://t.co/D22GJeXEwn
— Ahmet ENGÜL (@Ahmetengul63) October 8, 2026
