By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ISTANBUL (Worthy News) – At least 76 people have been killed in a fire engulfing a popular Turkish ski resort, prompting the detention of numerous people, officials say.
Tuesday’s early morning blaze at the upscale Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya northern Turkey forced guests to jump from the building, according to witnesses.
At least two people reportedly died when trying to jump to safety, with images on social media showing linen hanging from windows used by those trying to escape the burning hotel.
The blaze in Kartalkaya, in the Köroğlu mountains of Bolu Province, some 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of Istanbul, occurred during the school winter break. Hotels in the region were packed.
As the scale of the disaster became clear, at least nine people, including the owner, “were arrested,” confirmed Turkey‘s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
“We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel,” he added after inspecting the site.
The minister also said that at least 51 other people were injured in the disaster.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu expressed concern that at least one of the wounded was in a serious condition.
EARLY MORNING BLAZE
According to authorities, the fire broke out in the restaurant of the 12-storey wooden-clad Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Province at around 3.30 a.m. local time.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, but there have been broader concerns about the safety of buildings in Turkey.
With more victims being found, “a day of national mourning” was declared by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “to share the grief of the relatives of our brothers who lost their lives in a fire that broke out in a hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya.”
He added on social media platform X, “On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, our flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset in our country and our foreign missions.”
He pledged that in “any case, those who caused such a disaster to occur, those who were negligent and at fault, will be held accountable before the law.”
Yet, “Today is not a day for politics; it is a day for solidarity, for being one and together. I want to express that we expect all actors, including politics, media, and local administrators, to respect the suffering of our citizens.”
And the president said that he was praying for the victims and their families. “I convey my condolences and get well wishes to our nation. May God protect our country and our nation from such painful events.”
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