The lifeless body of one victim was recovered from the rubble of a collapsed three-story building in the Kartaltepe neighborhood of Küçükçekmece; search and rescue teams discovered the body amid the debris of the apartment building, constructed in 1988, located at the intersection of Belediye Street and Geçit Street. The identity of the deceased has not yet been determined.
The collapse occurred at approximately 8:40 a.m. on Sunday when the building, which had a store on its ground floor, suddenly collapsed for reasons yet to be identified. Emergency teams promptly responded, successfully rescuing eight individuals from the wreckage, two of whom sustained serious injuries. Initial reports indicate that no one else remains trapped under the debris.
Upon notification, fire, medical, police and Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) teams were dispatched to the scene. Police secured the area, closing off the street where the building was located.
In response to the incident, the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced the initiation of an investigation. A team comprising one deputy chief prosecutor and two public prosecutors has been appointed to lead the inquiry.
Following the conclusion of the search and rescue operations, a three-member expert team will conduct a thorough inspection to ascertain the cause of the collapse and identify any potential negligence.
The prosecutor's office released a written statement detailing the steps taken: "As part of the investigation, one deputy chief prosecutor and two public prosecutors have been appointed and dispatched to the scene. After the search and rescue operations are completed, a three-member expert team assigned by our office will commence inspections to determine liability. The investigation is being conducted with utmost diligence."
Authorities continue to work meticulously at the site to examine all aspects of the incident.
Küçükçekmece is a municipality and district in Istanbul Province, Türkiye. It covers an area of 44 square kilometers (27 square miles) and had a population of 326,452 in 2022. Located 23 kilometers west of Istanbul's city center, it is adjacent to Lake Küçükçekmece. Both the lake and the district are situated on the European shore of the Marmara Sea.