ANKARA, Turkey, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Turkish officials indicated a gas canister explosion caused a girls' school dormitory to collapse Friday, killing 16 students and injuring 27 others.
About 40 girls between the ages of 8 and 16 were staying in the dorm in Balcilar, near Taskent in the Konya province in central Turkey, Hurriyet reported
"We think the collapse was caused by a gas canister explosion in the building, given the burns on the injured," Konya health service official Galip Sef was quoted as saying by state-run Anatolian news agency.
The three-story building belonged to a religious foundation and was used as a dorm for students studying the Koran, but not affiliated with the Turkish Department of Religious Affairs, State Minister Sait Yazicioglu told the ANKA News Agency.
A number of emergency teams are assisting in the rescue effort, news agencies reported.
"We are hearing voices. I believe those inside the rubble will be saved," village Mayor Mehmet Demirgul told NTV television.
