At least 29 persons killed after fire breaks out at Istanbul nightclub

A fire at an Istanbul nightclub during renovations has killed at least 29 people, officials and reports said.

Several people, including managers of the club have been detained by police officials for questioning.

At least one person was being treated at a hospital, the Istanbul governor’s office said in a statement.

The nightclub, which was closed for renovations, was on the ground floor of a 16-story residential building in the Besiktas district on the European side of the city bisected by the Bosphorus. The fire has now been extinguished.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gul told reporters at the scene that the cause of the fire was under investigation, and the victims were believed to have been involved in the renovation work.

Authorities detained five people for questioning, including managers of the club and one person in charge of the renovations, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said.