A natural gas explosion rocked Istanbul's central Fatih district on Sunday, causing two adjacent buildings to collapse and trapping nine people under the rubble. Rescue operations saved eight survivors, who received hospital treatment with none in critical condition, while teams continued searching for the ninth person.

The incident occurred around noon local time in the Ayvansaray neighborhood on Ebe Street. One building was two stories tall, the other one story. Istanbul Governor Davut Gul stated that seven people had been recovered and were undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals. State-run TRT news reported that an eighth person was also rescued and hospitalized.

Disaster and Emergency Management Authority teams, known as AFAD, along with firefighters and medical personnel, rushed to the scene. Citizens assisted in initial searches through the debris. No fatalities were reported as of late afternoon.

The explosion stemmed from a natural gas leak, according to preliminary assessments by authorities. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause, with some early speculation also considering a possible landslide, though gas was the primary focus.

Fatih district features many older structures predating modern seismic standards, making them vulnerable in a city prone to earthquakes. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality data indicates 39,786 such units in the area. A similar incident involving an abandoned building collapse occurred in the district in 2025 without casualties.

Search efforts persisted into the evening, with rescuers using heavy equipment and manual labor to comb the site. Officials urged the public to avoid the area to aid operations.