ISTANBUL

A fire erupted at a 26-story building in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, local media reported on Saturday.

"At this time, firefighters in Astana are trying to extinguish a fire in a building on Turan Avenue 37/9," Kazinform news agency reported, citing a statement from the Kazakh Emergency Situations Ministry's press service.

In a later report, ministry official Dinara Nurgalieva was quoted as saying that 17 units of firefighters with special equipment and around 80 rescuers have been working to put out the fire.

Nurgalieva said the building is partially administrative and partly residential, and that no current casualties have resulted from the fire, which she described as localized.

The fire has spread over 180 square meters, she said, and eight people have been evacuated from the building.