There are 50,000 buildings in Istanbul that are at great risk of collapse, Turkish Environment Minister Mehmet Özhaseki has said, noting that the fate of the edifices had a bearing on the lives of upward of a million people. Urban renewal affects the lives of 1.2 million people, Özhaseki said at a conference in Istanbul on Jan. 15, noting that there were at-risk buildings in 48 areas of 19 districts in the city. Özhaseki’s remarks came two days after two people were killed when a six-story abandoned apartment building collapsed in the Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul. Seventeen others were also injured in the incident, Istanbul Gov. The collapsed building was abandoned after a demolition decision was taken two years ago, District Gov.

Source: GNN Liberia January 16, 2017 12:40 UTC