Fire at Turkish Ski Resort Hotel Kills 66
A devastating fire engulfed the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey's Kartalkaya ski resort early Tuesday morning, claiming the lives of at least 66 people and injuring 51 others. The tragedy unfolded during a busy holiday period when 234 guests were staying at the 12-story hotel in the Bolu province.
The blaze broke out around 3:30 a.m. in the hotel's restaurant and quickly spread to the upper floors. Witnesses reported harrowing scenes as some guests resorted to jumping from windows or tying bedsheets together to escape. "I heard screams around midnight," Baris Salgur, a worker at a nearby hotel, told NTV television. "Residents were shouting for help. They asked for a blanket, saying they will jump... we did what we could, we brought rope, pillows, we brought a sofa. Some people threw themselves once the flames approached them." At least three people reportedly died attempting to escape this way.
Emergency services faced significant challenges reaching the hotel, located on a cliffside, with freezing weather and difficult terrain delaying their arrival by over an hour. More than 260 emergency workers, including 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances, were dispatched to the scene. The fire took 12 hours to extinguish, leaving the building charred and unstable.
Concerns raised over safety of hotel
The Grand Kartal Hotel had passed a fire safety inspection last year, according to Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. However, survivors have raised concerns about safety measures at the hotel. "The alarm did not go off," said guest Atakan Yelkovan. "We tried to go upstairs but couldn't because of the flames." Another survivor criticized the lack of fire stairs and smoke detectors, while the hotel’s fire detection system reportedly failed during the incident.
Footage from the scene showed linen ropes hanging from windows, as well as significant damage to the building. The wooden cladding on the hotel is believed to have accelerated the fire's spread.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to hold those responsible accountable, stating that "all necessary steps" will be taken to uncover the truth behind the incident. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed grief over the tragedy, saying, "Our pain is great." He confirmed that six prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the cause of the fire, and authorities have arrested four people, including the hotel’s owner.
As a precaution, neighboring hotels were evacuated, and displaced guests were relocated to nearby accommodations. With the investigation ongoing, officials have warned that the death toll could rise further as recovery efforts continue.
