At least 76 people, including children, were killed after fire swept through a 12-story hotel at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey with people trying to escape down bedsheets tied together and at least two jumping to their deaths.
The blaze, which broke out as guests slept inside the Grand Kartal Hotel just outside Bolu, 100 miles northwest of the capital Ankara, in the early hours of Tuesday during a busy school holiday period, took firefighters 12 hours to put out.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said 51 people were injured, with one in serious condition in intensive care and 17 treated and sent home.
An investigation was underway by Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya saying that a total of nine people had been detained, including the owner of the hotel.
The country was observing a day of mourning on Wednesday, called by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who ordered flags be flown at half-staff until sunset across Turkey and by its overseas missions and pledged to deliver justice for victims and their families.
“Those who caused such a disaster to occur, those who were negligent and at fault will be held accountable before the law,” he vowed in a post on X.
Early indications were that the fire started in the restaurant area on the fourth floor before spreading to the upper floors, according to Bolu governor Abdulaziz Aydin, who added that the remote location and sub-zero conditions meant that while authorities dispatched more than 250 firefighters and first responders they took more than 60 minutes to get to the scene.
Speaking at a press conference, Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, said the hotel was in full compliance with the fire code when it was last inspected in 2024.
“The hotel has a valid certificate of fire safety issued by the fire department. Regular checks have to be carried out by the fire brigade,” he added.
However, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects said it believed the hotel was not equipped with automatic sprinklers.
“In the photos on the hotel’s website, it is seen that the automatic sprinkler system, which was supposed to be installed in 2008, was not installed,” it said in a statement which also made reference to additional safety issues.
The union said that some survivors had reported that fire detection and warning systems did not work and escape plans and routes were not clear. (UPI)
