Building collapses in Turkey’s Konya, leaves 2 dead

Şahin Yaldızlı / DUVAR

A 4-storey apartment collapsed in the central province of Konya on Jan. 24 around 8 p.m. local time.

The rescue teams rescued three people alive from under the rubble, while two people were found dead. 

Four people were detained regarding the collapse, the Konya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced. 

The detainees included K.Ü. and their employee K.G., running the fish restaurant on the ground floor of the building. They allegedly cut the columns to expand the restaurant. Two other detainees included K.D. and R.Ç., both owners and operators of the adjacent businesses.

Five hours after the building collapsed, 24-year-old Mohammed Jadan and 55-year-old Khaled al-Jadan were rescued alive. 23-year-old Ahmet Muhammed Cedan was rescued nine hours after the collapse. 

Emine Mustafa and her husband Turki Muhammed were found dead on Jan. 25.

The ignition caused by the heating stoves made it difficult for the rescue teams to work, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. 

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the 30-year-old apartment had seven shops and 14 flats.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Muhammed Hasan, who recorded the collapse, described the incident to the state-run Anadolu.

"There were crackling sounds coming from the walls. I listened to the wall, there was a lot of noise. Then I got up, the doors started to jam, the building was literally collapsing. I said, 'Let's get out.' Then some people started to leave the building. We rang the bells, asking everyone to leave their homes. We went out and then the building collapsed," he said.

He added that he was not expecting the building to suddenly collapse.

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