Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

One killed, eight injured in Istanbul gas explosion

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – One person was killed and eight were injured, one critically, in a gas explosion at a packaging workshop in Istanbul on Saturday, local media reported.

“It’s not certain whether one person remains under the debris. Rescue teams are searching meticulously,” Istanbul police chief Selami Altinok told reporters at the blast site.

Rescue teams dug a body from the debris some seven hours after the explosion, media reports said.

The accident was caused by either a gas leak or an exploding gas canister, Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni Mutlu said, ruling out the possibility of a terrorist attack.

On Friday, one person died and 36 were injured in a gas explosion at a bakery in the city of Denizli, southwestern Turkey, the disaster management agency said.

(Writing by Ece Toksabay; Editing by John Stonestreet and Sophie Hares)

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR