UPDATE 2 - Fire breaks out at hospital in Istanbul

UPDATES WITH ISTANBUL GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON INCIDENT

By Ismail Ozdemir and Mehmet Ali Derdiyok

ISTANBUL (AA) - A fire broke out at a hospital on the European side of Istanbul Thursday.

Social media pictures and footage of the fire at the Taksim Training and Research Hospital in Gaziosmanpasa district show flames and heavy smoke rising from the building.

The patients were shifted to nearby hospitals while the hospital staff were trying to take medical equipment out of the hospital.

Gaziosmanpasa District Mayor Hasan Tahsin Usta said no casualties were reported in the incident.

Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said the fire was partially taken under control.

"The fire fighters have been able to reach all floors and are responding to the fire... There is only smoke inside the hospital. The flames are just on the wall and the roof of the building.

"The fire fighters are trying to eject the smoke," Sahin told reporters.

He said almost all patients inside the hospital had been evacuated except for those in the intensive care unit on the eighth floor, who were said to be safe from the blaze.

"We are together with our chief prosecutor. He told me now that two deputy chief prosecutors and four prosecutors had been assigned to the issue," he added.