Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Claim
Visuals of the recent explosion at Istiklal Avenue in Central Istanbul.
An archived version of the tweet can be seen here.
Fact
A Yandex reverse image search on the viral photograph claiming to show the recent blast in Istanbul yielded multiple Turkish reports from October 2022 featuring the same image. One such report by Ensonhaber, dated October 9, 2022, carried the viral picture while elaborating on an explosion on “the third floor of a 3-storey building in Fikirtepe District of Kadıköy due to a natural gas leak.”
The report further quoted Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya as saying (translated from Turkish), “We have one foreign national injured in the natural gas explosion in Fikirtepe, Kadıköy. One person was rescued. The fire is under control. Cooling works continue. Firefighters continue their search efforts inside the building… Unfortunately, 3 people lost their lives in the natural gas explosion in Fikirtepe, Kadıköy. Search continues in the building. I wish God’s mercy on those who lost their lives in the explosion, and my condolences to their relatives.”
Notably, Kadikoy is one of the 32 districts in Istanbul. The recent explosion took place at Istiklal Avenue which is in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul.
In a report dated October 9, 2022, news outlet Rudaw stated, “It was reported that 3 people lost their lives in a natural gas explosion in a building in Kadıkoy, Istanbul. In Istanbul Kadıköy, the fire that broke out after the explosion in the building was brought under control by the firefighters. According to the information received, an explosion occurred in a building in Fikirtepe Mahallesi Erdemler Sokak. After the explosion, a fire broke out in the building.”
The article also featured the viral photograph.
A video report by CNN Turk on this incident can be seen below.
Though as per a news report the reason for the explosion that induced fire at Kadıköy building was not natural gas.
We were not able to independently ascertain the reason for the explosion. However, the viral photograph of a building up in flames is from a fire incident that was caused after an explosion at a three-storey building in Kadıkoy in October, and does not show visuals from yesterday’s blast in Istanbul.
Result: False
Sources
Report By Ensonhaber, Dated October 9, 2022
Report By Rudaw, Dated October 9, 2022
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
