Turkey's president visits Istanbul building collapse site

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The death toll from the collapse of an eight-story building in Istanbul's Kartal district rose to 21 Saturday, as Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the site saying there are “many lessons to learn” and the government will take “steps in a determined way” after investigators complete their work.

"We have a great number of lessons to learn from this. We will take necessary measures," he said.

President Tayyip Erdogan talks to residents as he visits the site of a collapsed building in Istanbul, Turkey, February 9, 2019. / VCG photo

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu confirmed that the death toll from the building collapse had risen to 21 dead and 14 injured, the third time the toll figures were updated during the day.

"We estimate that there were 35 people trapped under the rubble and we have now accounted for them," he said while stressing the continuation of the search operations.

Erdogan is also visiting a hospital where more than a dozen people are being treated.

Search and rescue teams continue rescue work at the site of a building collapse in Kartal district of Istanbul, Turkey, February 8, 2019. / VCG photo

The cause of the collapse is still being investigated, but officials have said the top three floors of the building were built illegally.

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Source(s): AP