Fire erupts at Turkey’s famous ski resort: 76 dead, 9 detained

A massive fire engulfed famous Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya ski Resort at Bolu mountains, Turkey. The fire erupted at around 3:30 am on Tuesday, claiming 76 lives, and injuring 50 others. Following the investigations, the authorities have detained 9 individuals, including the owner of the hotel, to find out the exact cause of the fire.  

According to the information shared by the officials, at least 234 people were present inside the hotel when the fire broke out. The fire has now been contained; however, it took firefighters 12 hours to contain the fire and transport everyone to safety.   

The guests in the hotel were seen jumping out of the hotel windows, and two people died after trying to escape. The dead bodies of 45 victims have been handed over to their families after identification, whereas other bodies are being sent for a DNA test.   

Statement by hotel authorities after Turkey fire incident 

The Hotel authorities following the deadly incident shared a statement of sorrow, while pledging full cooperation for investigation.   

“We are fully cooperating with the authorities to shed light on all aspects of the incident. We are saddened by the losses and want you to know that we share this pain with all our hearts,” the statement read.  

Safety measures at Turkey Ski resort 

The authorities reveal that the reason behind the rapid spread of fire was the 12-storey wooden structure, which engulfed the building. While the investigations are underway to find out the exact cause of the fire, the hotel authorities are surrounded by criticism for their safety measures after statements from survivors went viral on social media.  

Survivors stated that there were no fire alarms, and passage for smoke to go out, which filled the corridors with complete darkness. This made it nearly impossible for the residents to evacuate.   

Following the deadly disaster, President Tayyip Erdogan also declared a National Day of Mourning. Notably, the incident took place during the peak winter season when tourists from across the world come to visit turkey and experience the beautiful winters.   

The Bolu mountains are notably one of the most visited tourist destinations, famous for skiing and hiking. However, the recent tragedy has shocked everyone.