ADDS ISTANBUL GOVERNOR’S STATEMENT <br> <br> By Cemal Coskun<br> <br> ISTANBUL (AA) – At least two people were killed when a seven-story building on Istanbul’s Asian side collapsed, authorities said Wednesday. </p> <p>Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said seven people, including one in critical condition, were rescued from the rubble. </p> <p>A 9-year-old boy and 2 others were still under rubble of the building in Kartal district and rescue work are ongoing, Yerlikaya added. </p> <p>Turkish parliament speaker Binali Yildirim, who went to the site, told reporters rescue teams have made contact with four victims in the rubble. </p> <p>“Our friends are making an extraordinary effort to get them out safely,” he added. </p> <p>He said as a precaution, people living in the next building were evacuated due to possible damage caused by the collapse. </p> <p>Zeki Dag, the local administrator of the neighborhood, said 15 residents are thought to be under the rubble. A textile shop under the building was empty at the time of the collapse.</p> <p>Dag said the building had 14 apartments with 27-30 residents inside when it collapsed.<br>
A team of 86 rescue workers and 26 fire trucks are at the site.
Prosecutors have begun an investigation into the incident and an Istanbul court issued a broadcasting ban, the country’s top broadcasting authority, Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK), said in a statement.
