Breaking News: 2 buildings collapse in Fatih, Istanbul! 1 person found dead
It has been reported that 2 buildings have collapsed in Istanbul's Fatih district. AFAD teams were dispatched to the scene. The Istanbul Governor's Office initially announced that the buildings collapsed due to a natural gas explosion. Following efforts by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), 1 person was recovered dead from the rubble, and 10 people were rescued, one of whom is in critical condition. It was later announced that no signs of a natural gas leak or explosion were found at the scene.
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Two buildings collapsed in Ebe Street in the Ayvansaray neighborhood of Fatih, Istanbul, following an explosion suspected to be caused by natural gas.
Following the incident, a statement was issued by the Istanbul Governor's Office.
The statement from the Governor's Office included the following:
"On Sunday, 22.03.2026, at approximately 12:00, an explosion occurred in a building located on Ebe Street in the Ayvansaray neighborhood of Fatih district. Following the explosion, which is believed to be caused by natural gas based on initial assessments, two adjacent buildings collapsed.
A large number of AFAD, fire department, and medical teams were dispatched to the scene, and search and rescue operations have begun.
The teams' efforts are ongoing, and 3 of the 5 people thought to be trapped under the rubble have been rescued by the teams and transported to hospitals. Search and rescue operations for the 2 people remaining under the rubble are continuing."
The cause of the building collapse is being evaluated as a natural gas explosion.
STATEMENT FROM DAVUT GÜL
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül announced after the collapse that 9 people were trapped under the rubble. He stated that 7 of them had been pulled from the debris and transported to the hospital.
Gül's statements are as follows:
"An explosion occurred that was initially evaluated as being caused by natural gas. As a result of the explosion, a collapse occurred in 2 houses, one of which was 2 stories and the other single-story. According to initial findings, a total of 9 people were trapped under the rubble. So far, 7 people have been transported to the hospital. 1 person has been reached and is about to be extracted. Search and rescue efforts for the other citizen are also continuing. Our injured do not have life-threatening injuries."
According to the latest information obtained, 9 people were pulled from the 2 collapsed buildings.
A statement regarding the incident was issued by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
The statement included the following:
'No evidence of natural gas was found during the leak detection and measurement work carried out in the area.
Following the incident that occurred on 22.03.2026 at 12:14 on Eğrikapı Street in the Ayvansaray neighborhood of Fatih district, our İGDAŞ teams quickly arrived at the region.
In the initial assessments, it was determined that buildings numbered 28, 30, and 32 had completely collapsed; no natural gas discharge was encountered in the measurements taken at the scene. Against possible risks, the natural gas supply to the relevant buildings and surrounding structures was cut off via service boxes, and the line valve in the region was closed as a security measure.
NO ILLEGAL USE DETECTED
There are conflicting statements from citizens regarding the moment of the incident; while some people stated that the building collapsed on its own, others mentioned the possibility of an explosion. It was also determined that the buildings in question were constructed without receiving any engineering services.
Within the scope of technical examinations, the complaint records for the addresses in question from the last two years were examined in detail; no complaints regarding any gas odor, explosion, or installation damage originating from apartments, stairwells, or meters were found. Furthermore, no evidence of natural gas was found during the leak detection and measurement work carried out in the area.
DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES MUST BE EVALUATED
When subscription and consumption data were examined, it was seen that gas usage values were within normal limits and did not indicate an abnormal situation. On the other hand, there is no natural gas subscription for building number 32, which collapsed, and the possibility of the use of different energy sources is being evaluated by the relevant institutions as part of possible scenarios.
As a result, in light of the current findings, the probability that the incident occurred as a result of a natural gas leak or explosion is considered low. However, the exact cause of the incident will become clear as a result of detailed technical examinations to be carried out in coordination with all relevant institutions.'