A devastating fire tore through a home in the Pendik district of Istanbul, Türkiye, early Thursday morning, claiming the lives of three children and leaving a fourth in critical condition, the Istanbul Governor’s Office reported.

The blaze broke out in an apartment on the ground floor of a two-story building on Umman Street in the Fevzi Çakmak neighbourhood. Firefighters, police and emergency medical teams were dispatched to the scene after neighbours raised the alarm.

Four children who were inside the house at the time of the fire were rescued by citizens and transported to hospital by ambulance. Three—identified as 2-year-old Özden Sepetçi, 9-year-old Cennet Çelikkol, and 5-year-old Zülfikar Sepetçi—later died despite medical efforts, according to official reports. The fourth child, 11-year-old Muhammet Ali Çelikkol, remains in critical condition in intensive care.

Authorities say the children’s mother was not at home at the time, as she had taken another child to a hospital prior to the fire. She has been taken into custody as part of a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blaze.

Initial findings indicate that the fire originated inside the residence, but the exact cause has not yet been determined, and technical analyses are ongoing. Police and fire department teams are continuing their inquiry.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the local community in Pendik, a populous district on Istanbul’s Asian side with more than 750,000 residents. Neighbours and local officials expressed sorrow as emergency crews worked to secure the scene.

Officials have urged residents to stay alert for updates as the investigation progresses and have offered support to the family affected by the fire.

Further updates are expected as authorities release additional details from their ongoing examination of the incident. (ILKHA)