23 hospitalized in Istanbul hotel gas leak

ISTANBUL, Turkey, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A gas leak in an Istanbul hotel poisoned at least 23 people, with four listed in critical condition, hospital officials said.

The incident occurred Monday in the Modern Sultan Hotel in Istanbul's Faith district, the newspaper Today's Zaman reported.

Two of the victims were hotel employees, the rest foreign tourists, the newspaper said, adding they were taken to five different hospitals.

Witnesses described several of the victims as unconscious, with white foam emerging from their mouths.