The fire started at about 21:15 in a four-storey building on Irfan Street in the Merkez neighbourhood of Istanbul’s Güngören district. The building had been evacuated as part of an urban-renewal project. People nearby saw flames on the roof and called the 112 emergency centre.
Firefighters, police and medical teams were sent to the scene. Police secured the area while firefighters tackled flames covering the roof. Several firefighters were seen on a balcony during the operation and continued working in difficult conditions as the flames rose, the report said.
Fire crews brought the blaze under control and extinguished it shortly afterwards. Authorities have not said whether anyone was injured. An investigation has begun to determine the cause.