Major fire at Istanbul hospital sends plume of black smoke into the sky (VIDEOS)

A fire broke out at the Istanbul University's Medical Facility Hospital on Sunday, triggering a major response from the city's firefighters. Thankfully, the blaze occurred in a building that is not currently in use.

Istanbul residents were disturbed on Sunday by the sight of a big plume of black smoke rising from the Fatih district. It emanated from a huge fire that was engulfing a building under construction, owned by the Medical Faculty Hospital of the Istanbul University.

According to Turkish media, the smoke could be seen as far away as the Zeytinburnu neighborhood – a distance of some five kilometers. There were also reports of small explosions heard at the scene. Multiple fire brigades were dispatched to deal with the blaze.

According to preliminary reports, the heavy smoke was caused by burning insulation material, which caught fire during work carried out on the roof of the seven-story building. Workers were evacuated in time so nobody was hurt in the incident, but concerns remain about the damage that air pollution may have caused in the area.

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