Hotel fire in Bakırköy forces many people to evacuate

A fire that began on the first floor of a six-story hotel in Bakırköy spread quickly through the upper floors, prompting the evacuation of guests and a large emergency response.

The blaze broke out around 6:30 a.m. in Cevizlik Mahallesi's Muhasebeci Sokak. Its cause was not immediately known. Health, police and fire crews were dispatched to the scene after authorities received a report of the fire.

Medical teams gave first aid to 12 injured people before sending them to nearby hospitals. Firefighters also rescued seven people who had become trapped inside the hotel.

Police secured the area around the building as authorities opened an investigation into the fire.