VIDEO: At least six dead, 53 wounded in blast on busy central Istanbul avenue

Gulf Today Report

Turkish media and the governor of Istanbul reported that an explosion occurred in a crowded street in the Taksim area in the center of the Turkish city, killing at least 6 people and wounding 53 others.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the "vile attack" that ripped through central Istanbul.

"The relevant units of our state are working to find the perpetrators... behind this vile attack," Erdogan said.

The official TRT news channel and other media showed videos of ambulances and policemen heading to the site of the blast on the famous Istiklal Street in Istanbul's Beyoglu district.

The official Anadolu Agency said the cause of the explosion was not yet clear.

The nearby Qasim Pasha police station said that all his teams rushed to the scene of the explosion, without giving any further details.

Istanbul Gov. Ali Yerlikaya tweeted that the explosion occurred at about 4:20pm and that there were deaths and injuries, but he did not say how many. The cause of the explosion was not clear.

A video posted online showed flames erupting and a loud bang, as pedestrians turned and ran away.

Other footage showed ambulances, fire trucks and police at the scene. Social media users said shops were shuttered and the avenue closed down.