On Tuesday, January 21st, a fire broke out at a hotel in a ski resort in Bolu province, Turkey, resulting in the tragic deaths of 66 people and leaving approximately 51 others injured.
The fire took place at the Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya ski resort in northwest Turkey. Authorities stated that the fire started on the restaurant floor of the hotel around 3:30 in the early hours of Tuesday. Several fire trucks were seen surrounding the burnt building to extinguish the fire. Videos showed white bed sheets tied together hanging from upper floor windows of the hotel, indicating some guests attempting to escape through the windows.
Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed profound sorrow, saying, “We are deeply saddened. Unfortunately, we lost 66 lives in this hotel fire.”
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu reported that around 51 individuals were injured in the incident.
Officials mentioned that as the flames spread to the upper floors of the hotel, some desperate holidaymakers tried to escape by jumping out of windows. Footage depicted grey thick smoke swirling around the burnt structure.
Interior Minister Yerlikaya disclosed that there were a total of 238 guests in the hotel at the time of the incident.
“The fire has been extinguished, and cooling operations are in progress. Due to the hotel’s rear location on a slope, firefighting efforts could only be carried out from the front and sides.”
Yerlikaya also mentioned that 267 emergency response personnel were mobilized to cope with the fire.
Kartalkaya ski resort is a popular destination for winter tourists, especially during the school winter break period that lasts from January through the first week of February.