ISTANBUL, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and nine others rescued after a building collapsed in Istanbul, authorities said Friday.
The lower three floors of the seven-story building collapsed early Thursday morning in the Maltepe district on the city's Asian side. The cause of the collapse remains unknown.
Search and rescue operations concluded at 6:15 a.m. local time (0315 GMT) Friday, the Istanbul Governor's Office said in its latest statement. Of the rescued, six remain hospitalized, with one in serious condition.
Authorities have evacuated 55 residents from three adjacent buildings and provided psychosocial support to those affected. ■