Turkish authorities ruled out terrorism after a blast rocked Istanbul on Monday, later confirming that the explosion had been caused by a gas leak.
The powerful explosion rocked a neighborhood near Istanbul's Taksim Square on February 17th, breaking windows, overturning a car and seriously injuring at least four people.
The gas leak is thought to have originated from under a small first floor art gallery.
Residents living on the other side of the Bosphorus Strait reported hearing the huge explosion and the blast was powerful enough to flip a car on its side and blow out windows all along the street where it occurred.
Firefighters put out a small fire caused by the explosion and at least four victims were taken to an intensive care unit in a nearby hospital.
Gas leaks are not uncommon in Turkey, but local authorities said Monday's blast was one of the largest they had witnessed.
Most residential buildings in Istanbul use gas for heating and cooking and explosions caused by leaks are not uncommon, although they are not usually as intense as the one experienced on Monday.
The governor of Istanbul, Huseyin Avni Mutlu, and the city's police chief both told reporters that all their findings suggest the explosion was caused by a gas leak and they do not at present suspect terrorism or foul play.
The mayor of the district of Beyoglu, where the blast happened, told Reuters that the explosion came from a small art gallery on the ground floor of the building and that four injured people had been taken to hospital.
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