Istanbul nightclub fire kills 29 people and leaves several badly hurt

At least 29 people have been killed and others badly injured in a fire in Istanbul in a club that was undergoing renovations, officials have said.

At least one person was being treated at a hospital, the Istanbul governor's office said in a statement.

The nightclub, which was closed for building works, was on the ground floor of a 16-storey residential building, in the Besiktas district on the European side of the city bisected by the Bosphorus strait.

The fire has since been put out.

Governor Davut Gul told reporters at the scene that the cause of the fire was under investigation, and the victims were believed to be involved in the renovation work.

Authorities detained six people for questioning, including managers of the club and one person in charge of the renovations, Mr Gul's office said.

The nightclub was closed for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan and its owners were trying to complete the renovation work in time for next week's Eid holiday, which follows the month of fasting, NTV reported.

Police sealed off the area while power and natural gas to the neighborhood was cut off as a safety precaution.

Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu said authorities were inspecting the entire building to assess its safety.

Several firefighting and medical teams were dispatched to the scene, he said.

The nightclub had not obtained the necessary permit to undertake construction and renovations, the mayor said.

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