On October 10, 2026, the predictable rhythm of public transit in Istanbul’s Sultangazi district was shattered by a sudden, violent deviation from the norm. An IETT bus—part of the city's extensive public transportation network—was traveling along Selçuklu Boulevard toward Cebeci when the vehicle suddenly lost control. For the passengers on board, the transition from a routine commute to a life-altering moment happened in a matter of seconds, as the driver lost command of the heavy vehicle on the busy boulevard.
What followed was a sequence of collisions that transformed a standard transit route into a scene of emergency response.
Physics took over where the driver’s control ended. After the initial collision with the retaining wall and the sidewalk, the bus did not come to an immediate halt. Instead, the vehicle continued its uncontrolled movement for approximately 100 meters.
Inside the wreckage and on the surrounding pavement, the toll of the accident became clear.
As the dust settled and the bus finally halted its 100-meter slide, the silence of the aftermath was quickly replaced by the sirens of Istanbul’s emergency services. The scale of the incident triggered a multi-agency response. Police arrived to secure the scene and manage the perimeter, while firefighters were dispatched to handle any potential hazards resulting from the impact. Simultaneously, medical teams rushed to the site to assess the human cost of the crash.
Inside the wreckage and on the surrounding pavement, the toll of the accident became clear. Four passengers sustained injuries during the ordeal. The medical teams worked with urgency, providing initial treatment to the injured individuals directly on-site.
Once the initial on-site assessments were completed, the focus shifted to getting the victims to professional clinical environments. Ambulances were utilized to transport the four injured passengers to the hospital. While the specific conditions of the passengers were not detailed, the transition from the boulevard to the hospital marked the end of the immediate physical crisis and the beginning of the medical recovery process.
As the injured were moved into medical care, the focus of the authorities shifted from rescue to investigation. At this stage, the reason for the loss of control remains unknown. The police investigation into the incident is ongoing, as officials attempt to reconstruct the moments leading up to the collision on Selçuklu Boulevard.
For now, the stretch of Selçuklu Boulevard remains a site of scrutiny. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks present in high-capacity urban transit, where a single moment of lost control can turn a routine journey into a significant emergency. As the investigation continues, the residents of Sultangazi and the commuters of Istanbul wait for answers regarding how a standard trip toward Cebeci turned into a hundred-meter crash.