UPDATE - Fire in Istanbul’s Vanikoy Mosque extinguished

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM ISTANBUL GOVERNORSHIP; CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, EDITS THROUGHOUT

Murat Paksoy, Adem Koc and Savas Akin

ISTANBUL (AA) - A fire at the 17th century Vanikoy Mosque in Istanbul has been extinguished, officials said on Sunday.

In a statement, the Governorship of Istanbul said the fire broke out at around 13:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) in the historical mosque along the Bosphorus in Uskudar district.

Firefighters, with the support of the Coast Guard Command, doused the blaze.

The cause of the fire, which caused major damage, is not yet known. An investigation into the incident, however, has been launched.

The mosque, mainly made from wood, was built by Vani Mehmet Efendi, a Turkish scholar, in 1665.