Midnight horror in Antalya: explosions occurred one after another in an apartment building
In Antalya’s Kepez district, a fire in an apartment building caused panic in the neighborhood. Cell phone batteries, which a resident had stored on the balcony, exploded one after another due to the fire. The blaze, which resulted in significant material damage, was brought under control thanks to the intense efforts of firefighters.
The fire broke out around 7:00 PM on the second floor of a three-story apartment building on 3920th Street in Karşıyaka Neighborhood. According to reports, passersby noticed thick smoke coming from a balcony and immediately notified the 112 Emergency Call Center. One person, seeing the fire, rang doorbells to alert residents and help evacuate the building.
Flames quickly spread, engulfing the balcony and reaching inside the apartment. It was later revealed that the apartment owner had previously sold mobile phone accessories and, after closing his business, stored the remaining batteries on his balcony. The exploding batteries caused great fear among the neighborhood residents.
RESIDENTS FLED OUTSIDE IN PANIC
As the fire spread rapidly, residents rushed outside in panic. Hearing the explosions, neighbors also took to the streets in fear. Firefighters from the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department arrived quickly at the scene and started extinguishing the fire. Locals watched the firefighting efforts with curiosity and concern.
After about 1.5 hours of efforts, the fire was fully brought under control. It was reported that an elderly woman living in the apartment was warned by neighbors and managed to get out safely, although she was deeply shaken by the incident.
"BATTERIES ON THE BALCONY TRIGGERED THE FIRE"
A resident of the building described the moment: "The fire started around 7:00 PM. I was out shopping at the time. My child called me and said, ‘Dad, the building is on fire.’ I ran back immediately. The entire balcony was engulfed in flames; it was burning intensely. The fire spread very quickly".
Another resident added: "Most of us were at home when the fire started. The building was evacuated quickly. I immediately turned off the main power switch to prevent further spread. The materials stored on the balcony might have started the fire, but the exact cause will be determined by the fire department's investigation".
BATTERIES INTENSIFIED THE FIRE
Post-fire investigations revealed that many burnt cell phone batteries were found on and around the balcony. Experts warned that lithium-ion batteries pose a high explosion risk when exposed to heat and advised against storing such materials in enclosed areas.
