A fire erupted in the Masquerade nightclub located in the basement of a high-rise building in Istanbul, Turkey, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 29 individuals, with one person injured.

The nightclub, which was closed for renovations during the day, became engulfed in flames shortly after midday, according to Istanbul governor Davut Gül. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

Governor Gül stated that the victims were believed to be individuals involved in the renovation work at the establishment. As investigations into the incident continue, warrants have been issued for the arrest of eight individuals, including the nightclub manager and a person overseeing the renovations.

While three individuals have been detained, authorities are actively seeking the others named in the warrants.

Firefighters and emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene, surrounding the charred and smoke-filled entrance to the club, which spans two floors beneath a 16-story residential building in Istanbul’s Gayrettepe district.

Throughout the afternoon, the number of casualties has surged, as updates from the governor’s office continue to roll in.

Ekrem Imamoglu, recently re-elected Mayor of Istanbul, disclosed that the nightclub did not possess the requisite construction permit for renovations. “There is no record of renovation or construction applications submitted to the local municipality for the premises, as it was located two floors below ground level, making the work inconspicuous,” he explained.

Imamoglu extended his condolences to the victims via social media, expressing, “May God grant mercy to our citizens who lost their lives, and I wish a swift recovery to the injured,” in a post on X, previously known as Twitter.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been briefed on the tragedy following a conversation with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.