Explosion, fire kills two at Istanbul café

Explosion, fire kills two at Istanbul café

2012-03-31 09:15:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

ISTANBUL, TURKEY (BNO NEWS) -- Two people were killed on early Friday morning when an explosion ripped through a live music café in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul, officials said. A third person was injured.

The blast occurred at around 6 a.m. local time in the establishment in Istanbul's Esenler district, which is located on the European side of the city. The café, which plays live music, is located on the basement floor of a building at Orhan Gazi Street.

Emergency workers arrived quickly at the scene of the explosion, which triggered a subsequent fire. After it was learned that several people were believed to be trapped inside, firefighters tore down a wall and entered the building with the help of oxygen masks.

The firefighters were able to rescue one man who was rushed to BaÄŸcılar Training and Research Hospital for treatment, although his condition was not immediately known. The bodies of two women were also found in the café. All three victims are believed to have been employed at the cafe.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known, but investigators suspect it was caused by a gas canister.

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