Rescue teams recovered two bodies and pulled three survivors from the rubble of a four-story apartment building in Konya province, as authorities detained four suspects Saturday on allegations of illegal structural modifications, the T24 news website reported.
The building, constructed in 1994 and deemed safe under an existing occupancy permit, was not part of Turkey’s urban renewal program, officials confirmed.
The collapse occurred around 8:10 p.m. local time Friday in Selçuklu, with witnesses reporting a loud crash before the structure pancaked. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 962 personnel and 216 vehicles, including search dogs and thermal drones, were deployed. Survivors included members of a Syrian family, while the dead were identified as Emine Mustafa and her husband, Turki Muhammed.
Authorities are investigating claims that a ground-floor fish market, newly opened in the building, had cut a support column during renovations. Konya’s chief public prosecutor’s office assigned three prosecutors to lead the inquiry, citing “expert evaluations” of the site.
A 20-year-old Syrian resident, Ali El Hüseyin, alerted neighbors by ringing doorbells moments before the collapse, helping evacuate most residents. “I heard noises and rushed to warn everyone,” he told local media from a hospital bed. “I thought no one was left inside.”
The incident has reignited debate over Turkey’s aging housing stock, particularly in earthquake-prone regions. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said the building had declined to participate in an urban renewal initiative, while opposition figures criticized delayed safety reforms.
Konya Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay confirmed no prior complaints or code violations were filed for the building. Rescue operations concluded Saturday afternoon, with forensic teams assessing the site.