Turkish president saddened by fire at Vanikoy Mosque

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his sadness late Sunday over a fire at Istanbul’s 17th century Vanikoy Mosque and said restoration work would be carried out soon.

“Today, the fire at the historic Vanikoy Mosque, one of the symbols of the Bosphorus, has deeply saddened us all,” he said on Twitter.

“I hope that as soon as possible, we will restore our mosque in accordance with its historical texture and origin, leaving a legacy for future generations.”

Officials said earlier Sunday that the fire, which caused major damage, had been extinguished.

In a statement, the Governorship of Istanbul said the fire broke out around 13:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) in the mosque, which is located on the banks of the Bosphorus in Uskudar district.

Firefighters doused the blaze with the support of the Coast Guard Command.

The cause of the fire is not yet known and an investigation has been launched.

The mosque, mainly made from wood, was built in 1665 by Vani Mehmet Efendi, a Turkish scholar.