Fire at Turkey's Kartalkaya resort kills 76
A devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey's Kartalkaya ski resort claimed 76 lives and injured 51 people, marking one of the country's worst hotel disasters. The blaze, which began around 3:30 a.m. on the restaurant floor of the 12-story building, forced desperate guests to jump from windows to escape the rapidly spreading flames.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that among the victims were several children, including fifth-grade students aged 10-11 years old. Emergency crews arrived at 4:15 a.m., nearly an hour after the fire started, facing challenges due to the hotel's cliff-side construction. Of the 234 guests staying at the resort, authorities have identified 52 of the deceased.
Eyewitnesses described apocalyptic scenes, with guests using tied bed sheets to escape from upper floors. Some survivors reported that the hotel's fire detection system failed to work, and emergency response was delayed. Two victims died after jumping from the building in panic, according to Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning and promised accountability for those responsible. The Justice Ministry has already detained nine people as part of the ongoing investigation into the tragedy.
The incident occurred during school holidays, a peak season when families from Istanbul and Ankara traditionally visit the Bolu mountains for skiing. Authorities evacuated neighboring hotels as a precautionary measure, relocating guests to other accommodations in the Bolu area.
Emergency response included 30 fire trucks, 28 ambulances, and 267 emergency personnel. The disaster has prompted widespread mourning across Turkey, with local schools and businesses posting death notices for students and staff members lost in the blaze.
