The fire at a hotel in Turkey’s Bolu province also left more than 50 people injured.
A devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey’s Kartalkaya ski resort resulted in at least 66 fatalities and over 50 injuries, some severe, according to the country’s interior minister on Tuesday. The blaze erupted in the 12-story hotel’s restaurant around 3:30 am.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that it took 45 minutes for fire crews to arrive. The fire’s rapid spread was attributed to the building’s timber cladding.
Eyewitnesses described thick black smoke quickly engulfing the 161-room hotel, prompting panicked guests and staff to evacuate. The hotel housed 238 guests, many families taking advantage of a national two-week school holiday, Yerlikaya reported.
Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, hampered by strong winds, according to Governor Abdulaziz Aydin’s office. The hotel’s cliffside location complicated rescue efforts, forcing some to jump from windows or use bedsheets to escape, causing further injuries. At least two deaths resulted from these desperate escapes.
Six prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the incident, focusing on potential safety code violations and the functionality of the hotel’s fire safety systems. Survivors are receiving treatment at local hospitals, with several in critical condition.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the tragedy, pledging in Ankara that “all necessary steps will be taken to fully investigate this incident and hold responsible parties accountable.”