At least 10 missing in Turkish building collapse

Witnesses and media say the building crumbled during planned renovation work

Members of rescue services work at the site of the collapsed building in Malatya, Turkey, on Tuesday. AFP

A two-storey building packed with shoppers and diners collapsed in eastern Turkey on Tuesday, burying at least 10 people under heavy debris.

The incident occurred on a busy street in the city of Malatya as residents filled shops on their way home from work.

Witnesses and media said the building crumbled during planned renovation work that resulted in damage to one of the walls separating two of the ground-floor restaurants.

"I heard a crack first and then the building collapsed. A cloud of dust emerged," witness Turhan Cobanoglu told Haberturk TV.

Ambulances rushed 13 people to hospital as rescuers searched for signs of life under piles of debris spilling across one of Malatya's main roads.

Regional governor Aydin Barus said about 20 people were believed to be inside the building when it crumbled shortly before 5pm.

More than six hours after rescue operations began, about 10 people were still trapped, Turkish media reported.

Two of the 13 injured people taken to hospital required intensive care while three were discharged after escaping with bumps and bruises, Mr Barus said.

CCTV footage of the collapse showed the building suddenly crumbling, pushing up a huge cloud of dust. Passers-by rushed to help those trapped under the rubble.

Malatya's main opposition CHP party chairman Enver Kiraz said the building's first floor had a chicken restaurant, a dried nuts shop and bakery.

"And on the second floor there was a coffee house," Mr Kiraz told AFP. "It is a very busy street. As far as I know, some of the people were injured while passing by the building."

The cause of the collapse remained unclear, but Mr Barus pointed the finger at the work being done on the building.

The building's owner and three people who were carrying out the work have been taken into custody, Malatya's prosecutor's office said late Tuesday.

Mr Barus urged local residents and reporters at the scene to keep their distance so rescuers could detect signs of life.

"The search and rescue teams need silence to be able to hear," he said in televised comments.

Television images showed rescuers using construction diggers and their bare hands to clear out the heavy slabs of concrete and mounds of wood, under bright lights installed as the night set in.

Turkey has been rocked by a series of disasters, including wildfires and two flash floods, which claimed about 100 lives this year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, Fahrettin Altun, said the state and regional authorities had fully mobilised in Malatya.

"Our prayers and hearts are with our Malatya brothers and sisters," Mr Altun tweeted.

Mr Erdogan's office said he placed calls to the local governor and mayor to receive a personal update about the rescue work.