Masquerade in Istanbul caught fire while closed during daytime renovations.
Istanbul nightlife is reeling after a tragic turn of events. A blaze swept through a nightclub called Masquerade on Tuesday, April 2, killing at least 29 and injuring at least one.
Local media reports suggest that welding sparks coming into contact with fiber materials are to blame for the fire, which broke out at 12:47 PM. All of the deceased are believed to be construction workers who were aiding with renovations while Masquerade was closed. The club had only one exit.
According to Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, Masquerade’s team had not obtained proper permits for construction. “There is no application [to the local municipality] for a renovation or a construction regarding the place and as it was two floors down from the ground level, it [the work] wasn’t visible,” he said.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Imamoğlu went on to say, “May God have mercy on our citizens who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to our injured.”
Instanbul authorities have arrested nine people in connection with the fire. Among them are the nightclub’s managers as well as people overseeing the renovations.
Located in the the basement of a high-rise building in the Gayreteppe area of Istanbul, Masquerade can hold between 3,000-4,000 people, according to its website. Music there typically ranges from hip-hop to R&B to house music, with deep house DJs like Gökay Tevlek, Mehmet Okumuş, and DJ Rareborn performing there regularly.
Masquerade’s website also says that it will be closed from from March 10-April 10 “due to our new design renovation.”
In a post on X, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said, “The site inspection and evidence collection efforts are ongoing, and a team of 3 experts specializing in occupational safety and fire is also continuing their work to determine the cause of the fire.”
