02 February 2016•Update: 02 February 2016
ISTANBUL
A building on Istanbul’s teeming Istiklal Street was evacuated Tuesday after a fire broke out due to an electricity fault, the Turkish fire department said.
The 18-story building called Odakule houses the Istanbul Chamber of Industry as well as several law firms, commercial companies and bank offices.
The fire broke out around 9.00 a.m. (0700GMT) when the staff began their shifts.
Huseyin Colak, who works in the building, said that the fire broke out on the seventh floor. “It was not a flamed fire; there was intense smoke,” he said.
The fire is reportedly under control.