Emergency crews battle intense fire at chemical facility in Istanbul PHOTO / VIDEO

A major fire broke out at a chemical warehouse in Istanbul's İkitelli neighborhood, prompting a large-scale emergency response as authorities work to contain the flames and prevent a broader disaster.

According to Turkish media reports cited by Caliber.Az, the blaze erupted on April 11 and quickly spread across the warehouse area, engulfing multiple vehicles parked nearby.

Firefighters were urgently deployed to the scene as the flames intensified. The situation raised immediate concern due to the proximity of a gas station and several natural gas tanks in the vicinity, prompting crews to take swift precautionary measures to prevent a potential explosion or further escalation.

Authorities are still working to fully extinguish the fire, with firefighting efforts continuing into the afternoon. The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown at this time.

Photos and video footage from the scene show dense plumes of black smoke billowing into the air as fire crews battle the inferno.

No casualties have been reported so far, but local officials are closely monitoring the situation.

By Tamilla Hasanova