A building on Istanbul's teeming İstiklal Street was evacuated Tuesday after a fire broke out due to an electricity fault, the Turkish fire department said.

The 18-story building called Odakule houses the Istanbul Chamber of Industry as well as several law firms, commercial companies and bank offices.

The fire broke out around 9.00 a.m. (0700GMT) when the staff began their shifts.

Hüseyin Çolak, who works in the building, said that the fire broke out on the seventh floor. "It was not a flamed fire; there was intense smoke," he said.

The fire is reportedly under control.