Six killed as Turkish buildings collapse

Two wooden buildings collapsed in Istanbul, killing six people and injuring another, news reports said today.

The two and four-floor buildings in Istanbul’s historic Beyoglu district had been resting against one another and collapsed simultaneously on Saturday evening, according to officials cited by the Anatolia news agency. Both buildings had apparently been in poor condition.

One person was pulled out of the debris with injuries, Anatolia said.

Authorities ban residents from living in many buildings in the neighbourhood, many of which are poorly maintained and lean against each other. Many are occupied by squatters.

Local residents said another neighbouring building had recently been demolished and that likely triggered the two buildings’ collapse.