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Fire at Turkey Ski Resort Kills at Least 66
A fire blazed through a 12-story hotel at a ski resort in Turkey on Tuesday, killing at least 66 people and injuring 51 others, the authorities said, turning an idyllic vacation spot into a smoke-filled nightmare.

The disaster struck during Turkey’s winter holiday, when children are off school and many families go on vacation, including to ski resorts. It was not clear how many children were among the dead, but a number were reported by acquaintances.

The cause of the fire was unclear.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on social media that six prosecutors had been assigned to investigate the blaze and that four people, including the hotel’s owner, had been detained.

The fire broke out before dawn in the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, 180 miles east of Istanbul, sending large flames from the windows and thick smoke billowing from the roof.

About 230 guests were believed to be in the hotel at the time, in addition to a number of employees. Some survivors told the Turkish news media of terrifying escapes, exacerbated by a lack of fire alarms or clear fire escapes.

“The smoke was so intense that we could hardly breathe,” Eylem Senturk, who was vacationing at the hotel with her family, told the state-run Anadolu news agency.

She and her daughter raced downstairs to an exit, but the smoke was too intense for her husband, she said, so he jumped from a window onto a lower rooftop and then onto a car to reach the ground.

Ms. Senturk said she had not heard a fire alarm, but realized that the building was burning when she heard people shouting in the hallway and opened the door to see smoke. She did not see any fire escapes, she said.

“If there had been a fire alarm, we could have been faster,” she said. “The lack of a fire alarm and fire escape trapped people.”

Another survivor, Muzaffer Cig, also told Anadolu that there was no fire escape. “As there was no fire escape, we ran down the staircase,” he said.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that the hotel had been inspected in 2021 and 2024 and was found to have the necessary fire precautions. He also said the building had two fire escapes.

But no external escapes are visible in aerial footage of the building broadcast on Turkish television after the fire.

The dozens of deaths in a building surrounded by snow-capped peaks where families had gone expecting good times prompted calls for accountability, but such calls after past disasters have not gone far.

The fire on Tuesday started at around 3:30 a.m., when most hotel occupants were asleep, according to news reports. In an effort to evacuate, some strung bedsheets together to make a rope that they used to descend to a lower floor, video footage showed.

Dozens of rescuers and fire trucks rushed to the site from surrounding towns.

“When I left my room, I saw the flames at the fourth floor, the floor of the restaurant,” Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor who also worked at the hotel, told the NTV network. “Then it started to swarm the hotel. We helped around a dozen or more people to evacuate, since we know the hotel very well.”

“People were screaming to be rescued,” he added.

Two people — a guest and a hotel employee — died after jumping from the building, the area’s governor, Abdulaziz Aydin, told Anadolu.

The fire took place on the same day that an explosion injured four people at another Turkish ski resort, in the central province of Sivas, its governor’s office said in a statement.

The reason for the explosion was unclear. Two skiers and a trainer were lightly injured, while another trainer had second-degree burns on the hands and face, the statement said.

Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic loss of life in the devastating fire at a ski resort in Turkey. At least 66 people have been confirmed dead, with many others injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time. We also extend our gratitude to the firefighters and emergency responders who bravely worked to contain the fire and save lives. May the souls of the departed rest in peace. #TurkeyFire #SkiResortTragedy #PrayForTurkey

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2. Fatal ski resort fire
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4. Deadly fire at ski resort
5. Turkey ski resort disaster
6. Ski resort fire kills 66
7. Turkey ski resort emergency
8. Ski resort tragedy in Turkey
9. Fatal fire at Turkish ski resort
10. Ski resort fire victims
#Fire #Turkey #Ski #Resort #Kills
January 21, 2025
Scores killed after flames engulf hotel at popular Turkish ski resort
A fire at a hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday killed at least 66 people, Turkey’s Interior Minister said.

Ali Yerlikaya said at least 51 other people were injured in the disaster.

“We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel,” Yerlikaya told reporters after inspecting the site.

Fire engulfs a 12-story hotel as firefighters work to extinguish the flames in Bolu, northwestern Turkey, Tuesday. (IHA)

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said at least one of the injured was in serious condition.

The fire broke out at around 3:30 a.m. in the restaurant of the 12-story Grand Kartal hotel in the resort of Kartalkaya in Bolu province, officials and reports said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Two of the victims died after jumping from the building in a panic, Gov. Abdulaziz Aydin told the state-run Anadolu Agency. Private NTV television said some people tried to climb down from their rooms using sheets and blankets.

There were 234 guests staying at the hotel, Aydin said.

COLLEGE ATHLETE DIES FROM TRAGIC ACCIDENT ON SKI RESORT’S MOST DIFFICULT TRAIL

Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor at the hotel, said he was asleep when the fire erupted and he rushed out of the building. He told NTV television that he then helped some 20 guests out of the hotel.

He said the hotel was engulfed in smoke, making it difficult for guests to locate the fire escape.

“I cannot reach some of my students. I hope they are OK,” the ski instructor told the station.

Television images showed the roof and top floors of the hotel on fire.

LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES: ANNA FARIS LOSES PACIFIC PALISADES HOME, MOLLY SIMS WEEPS OVER ‘DEVASTATED’ COMMUNITY

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint statement to the media in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye /Pool Photo via AP)

Witnesses and reports said the hotel’s fire detection system failed to operate.

“My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,” Atakan Yelkovan, a guest staying on the third floor of the hotel, told the IHA news agency.

“We tried to go upstairs but couldn’t, there were flames. We went downstairs and came here (outside),” he said.

Yelkovan said it took about an hour for the firefighting teams to arrive.

“People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets … some tried to jump,” he said.

TEEN DEAD AT SKI RESORT NEAR POSH MOUNTAIN TOWN

A general view of the Turkish Consulate General in New York City, New York on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. (Fox News Digital)

The government appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the fire. NTV television suggested that the wooden cladding on the exterior of the hotel, in a chalet-style design, may have accelerated the spread of the fire.

The 161-room hotel is on the side of a cliff, hampering efforts to combat the flames, the station also reported.

NTV showed a smoke-blackened lobby, its glass entrance and windows smashed, its wooden reception desk charred and a chandelier crashed to the ground.

Kartalkaya is a popular ski resort in the Koroglu mountains, some 300 kilometers (185 miles) east of Istanbul. The fire occurred during the school semester break when hotels in the region are packed.

Aydin’s office said 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances were sent to the site.

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Other hotels at the resort were evacuated as a precaution and guests were placed in hotels around Bolu.

Meanwhile, a gas explosion at a hotel at another ski resort in central Turkey injured four people.

The explosion took place at the Yildiz Mountain Winter Sports Center in Sivas province. Two skiers and their instructor were slightly injured while another instructor received second-degree burns on the hands and face, the Sivas governor’s office said.

Tragic news has struck the popular Turkish ski resort of Uludağ as a massive fire engulfed a hotel, resulting in scores of casualties. The flames quickly spread through the building, trapping many guests and staff inside.

Emergency services rushed to the scene to battle the blaze and rescue those trapped within the hotel. However, the intensity of the fire made it difficult to contain, and the death toll continues to rise.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the devastation it has caused is undeniable. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

Tags:
1. Turkish ski resort fire
2. Hotel fire in Turkey
3. Fatal fire at Turkish ski resort
4. Turkey ski resort tragedy
5. Deadly hotel fire in Turkey
6. Ski resort disaster in Turkey
7. Turkish hotel engulfed in flames
8. Fatal blaze at Turkish ski resort
9. Ski resort fire kills multiple people
10. Turkey hotel fire casualties
#Scores #killed #flames #engulf #hotel #popular #Turkish #ski #resort
January 21, 2025
Scores killed in hotel fire at ski resort in central Turkey
At least 66 people have been killed and 51 injured in a fire at a ski resort in central Turkey with survivors blaming the tragedy on negligence.

The fire at a hotel in Kartalkaya, which apparently had no alarm system, broke out in the middle of the night on Tuesday.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who visited the scene, said “the fire is now under control and cooling operations” are continuing.

According to authorities, 238 guests were registered in the 12-storey luxury establishment, the Grand Kartal, located in Kartalkaya, 170km east of the capital Ankara.

Turkish media said the flames quickly spread to the rest of the building due to the wooden exterior cladding, with images showing large flames and black smoke escaping from the upper windows and roof. The hotel reportedly had two fire exits and stairs.

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A Turkish official told Middle East Eye that the hotel was inspected in 2021 and 2024 by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and no deficiencies were found in those inspections.

Authorities at the time said the hotel had the necessary paperwork that indicated preparedness for fire incidents.

They said there was no information about when the fire department last inspected the hotel, however.

Turkey: Istanbul building fire kills dozens during construction work

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According to the available information, the fire department last conducted an inspection here in 2007.

A number of staff and guests have already blamed negligence for the fire.

“No alarm went off, no smoke detectors or fire escapes, even though there was smoke up to the tenth floor,” a 50-year-old, who had been with his family at the hotel since Sunday, told Turkish TV.

Baris Salgur, an employee at a nearby hotel also told local media that “people were calling for help, asking for blankets so they could get out through the windows.

“We brought them what we could find, ropes, pillows, and even a sofa… When the flames got close to them, some of them jumped into the void,” he said.

According to the private television channel NTV, at least three people died after jumping out of the windows.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced the opening of an investigation and the formation of a committee of experts to support prosecutors.

Istanbul, Turkey – Tragedy struck at a popular ski resort in central Turkey as a devastating fire broke out at a hotel, claiming the lives of scores of individuals. The fire, which started in the early hours of the morning, quickly engulfed the building, trapping many guests inside.

Emergency services rushed to the scene to battle the blaze and rescue those trapped, but the intense flames and thick smoke made the operation incredibly difficult. As a result, the death toll continues to rise as authorities work to identify and recover the victims.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but initial reports suggest it may have been sparked by a faulty electrical system. The hotel, located in a remote area of the ski resort, was reportedly at full capacity at the time of the fire, adding to the difficulty of the rescue efforts.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident. We hope for a swift and thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire and prevent such a devastating event from happening again in the future.

Tags:
1. Turkey hotel fire
2. Ski resort tragedy
3. Central Turkey disaster
4. Fatal hotel fire
5. Ski resort fire
6. Turkey ski resort accident
7. Hotel fire casualties
8. Central Turkey hotel tragedy
9. Deadly ski resort fire
10. Turkey hotel blaze.
#Scores #killed #hotel #fire #ski #resort #central #Turkey
January 21, 2025
At least 66 dead and 51 injured in a hotel fire at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A fire at a 12-story hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday killed at least 66 people, Turkey’s Interior Minister said.

Ali Yerlikaya said at least 51 other people were injured in the disaster that struck the Grand Kartal hotel in the resort of Kartalkaya, in Bolu province’s Koroglu mountains, some 300 kilometers (185 miles) east of Istanbul. The fire occurred during the schools’ semester break, when hotels in the region are packed.

“We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel,” Yerlikaya told reporters after inspecting the site.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said at least one of the injured was in serious condition, while 17 other people had been discharged after being treated.

The hotel had 238 registered guests, Yerlikaya said. The fire was reported at 3:27 a.m. and the fire department began to respond at 4:15 a.m., he told reporters.

The government appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the blaze, which is believed to have started in the hotel’s restaurant section.

At least two of the victims died after jumping from the building in a panic, Gov. Abdulaziz Aydin told the state-run Anadolu Agency earlier. Private NTV television and other media reported that some people tried to climb down from their rooms using sheets and blankets.

Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor at the hotel, said he was asleep when the fire erupted and he rushed out of the building. He told NTV television that he then helped some 20 guests out of the hotel.

The hotel was engulfed in smoke, making it difficult for guests to locate the fire escape, he said.

“I cannot reach some of my students. I hope they are OK,” the ski instructor told the station.

Television images showed the roof and top floors of the hotel on fire.

Witnesses and reports suggested that the hotel’s fire detection system failed to operate.

“My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,” Atakan Yelkovan, a guest staying on the third floor, told the IHA news agency.

“We tried to go upstairs but couldn’t, there were flames. We went downstairs and came here (outside),” he said.

Yelkovan said it took about an hour for the firefighting teams to arrive.

“People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets … Some tried to jump,” he said.

NTV television suggested that the wooden cladding on the exterior of the hotel, in a chalet-style design, may have accelerated the spread of the fire.

Part of the 161-room hotel is on the side of a cliff, hampering efforts to combat the flames.

“Because the rear side is on a slope, intervention could only be made from the front and sides,” Yerlikaya confirmed.

Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told reporters that the hotel underwent inspections in 2021 and 2024 and that “no negative situation regarding fire competence” was reported by the fire department.

In an address in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “Unfortunately, we received very sad news this morning from Bolu, Kartalkaya. Our brothers and sisters were killed and injured in a fire that broke out in a hotel.”

“All necessary steps will be taken to shed light on all aspects of the incident and to hold those responsible accountable,” he added.

NTV showed a smoke-blackened lobby, its glass entrance and windows smashed, its wooden reception desk charred and a chandelier crashed to the ground.

Aydin’s office said 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances were sent to the site.

Other hotels at the resort were evacuated as a precaution and guests were placed in hotels around Bolu.

Meanwhile, a gas explosion at a hotel at another ski resort in central Turkey injured four people.

The explosion took place at the Yildiz Mountain Winter Sports Center in Sivas province. Two skiers and their instructor were slightly injured while another instructor received second-degree burns to the hands and face, the Sivas governor’s office said.

At least 66 dead and 51 injured in a hotel fire at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey

Tragedy struck a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey as a devastating fire broke out at a hotel, claiming the lives of at least 66 people and injuring 51 others. The fire, which started in the early hours of the morning, quickly spread throughout the building, trapping many guests inside.

Rescue teams worked tirelessly to evacuate the hotel and extinguish the flames, but the inferno proved to be too intense to contain. As the sun rose, the devastating aftermath of the fire became apparent, with charred remains and injured individuals being tended to by emergency responders.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but initial reports suggest it may have been sparked by a faulty heating system. The loss of life and injuries sustained in this tragic incident have left the community in shock and mourning.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families during this difficult time. May they find strength and solace in the midst of this heartbreaking tragedy.

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hotel fire, ski resort, Turkey, northwestern Turkey, casualties, tragedy, disaster, emergency response, investigation, fatalities, injured, rescue efforts, tragic event, news update

#dead #injured #hotel #fire #ski #resort #northwestern #Turkey

January 21, 2025
At least 66 dead in Turkish ski resort hotel fire
ByMorgan Winsor and Engin Bas

Tuesday, January 21, 2025 1:09PM

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ISTANBUL — Turkey‘s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Tuesday that the death toll from a pre-dawn fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya Ski Resort has risen to 66 and the number of injured is now 51.

“We are in deep pain,” Yerlikaya told reporters during a press conference. “We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel.”

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire in a hotel at a ski resort of Kartalkaya in Bolu province, in northwest Turkey, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.

IHA via AP

The fire broke out after 3 a.m. on Tuesday at the Grand Kartal, a hotel at the resort in Northwestern Turkey.

A city official told ABC News that after the fire broke in the middle of the night, around 3:27 am local time, most of the victims, including children, appeared to have lost life due to suffocation.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025 ABC News Internet Ventures.

At least 66 dead in Turkish ski resort hotel fire

A devastating fire broke out at a ski resort hotel in Uludag, Turkey, claiming the lives of at least 66 people. The fire, which started in the early hours of the morning, quickly engulfed the building, trapping many guests inside.

Rescue teams worked tirelessly to evacuate survivors and extinguish the flames, but the death toll continued to rise as the extent of the tragedy became clear. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but initial reports suggest it may have been sparked by a faulty heating system.

The loss of so many lives in this tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who perished. Our thoughts are with the survivors as they grapple with the trauma and loss they have experienced.

As we mourn the lives lost in this horrific fire, let us also remember the bravery and dedication of the rescue teams who risked their own lives to save others. Their heroism in the face of such a devastating event is a reminder of the best of humanity in the darkest of times.

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2. Deadly ski resort fire in Turkey
3. Fatal hotel fire in Turkish ski resort
4. Tragic incident at Turkish ski resort hotel
5. Turkey ski resort fire kills over 60
6. Hotel fire tragedy in Turkish ski resort
7. Turkish ski resort disaster claims dozens of lives
8. Fatal fire at Turkish ski resort hotel
9. Turkish ski resort hotel blaze leaves 66 dead
10. Deadly fire erupts at Turkish ski resort hotel
#dead #Turkish #ski #resort #hotel #fire
January 21, 2025
Turkey ski hotel fire: 66 killed in resort in northwest
Istanbul, Turkey
CNN
—

Dozens of people were killed after a fire ripped through a ski resort hotel in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday, forcing desperate holidaymakers to leap from windows to escape from the flames and smoke.

At least 66 people were killed and 51 injured following the early morning blaze at a hotel in the Kartalkaya resort in Bolu province, according to 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,” Yerlikaya told reporters on Tuesday.

Some desperate holiday goers tried to jump out of windows in order to escape, officials said, as flames licked the top floors of the facility. Footage of the aftermath showed wreaths of gray smoke swirling around the charred building.

The 12-story hotel was built onto a rock face, complicating efforts to extinguish the flames. Eyewitnesses recalled the scent of burning, with guests’ screams filling the upper floors of the hotel.

“It was so bad. Everybody was jumping out of the windows with the fear of death and people were so ashamed as there were no fire-extinguishers around,” one eyewitness told CNN affiliate CNN Turk.

“We could not get water to people. Ambulances and fire trucks came really late, and people did not know what to do,” the eyewitness added.

The resort is a popular destination for holiday-makers in the winter, especially during school holidays, which run from January until the first week of February. The timing of the blaze fell in the school holidays, Reuters reported, when people from Istanbul and Ankara travel to the Bolu mountains to ski.

There were around 234 guests staying at the hotel, Governor Abdulaziz Aydin told the state-run Anadolu Agency. Two of the victims died after jumping out of the building “in a panic,” Aydin said.

At least 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances were sent to the site, Aydin’s office said. According to Yerlikaya, authorities mobilized 267 emergency personnel to respond to the blaze. Authorities evacuated other hotels at the resort as a precautionary measure, and guests were housed in hotels around Bolu.

A number of videos, some shared on social media and others broadcast by Turkish TV stations, showed flames coming out of the top floors of the hotel. Some people were seen using tied bed sheets to try to escape the blaze.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Yesterday, tragedy struck in Turkey as a ski hotel in the northwest region went up in flames, claiming the lives of 66 people. The incident occurred in a popular resort area, leaving many families devastated by the loss of their loved ones.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, but it is believed to have started in the early hours of the morning. The hotel was reportedly at full capacity, with guests from all over the world enjoying the winter sports and beautiful scenery.

Rescue teams worked tirelessly to evacuate the guests and extinguish the flames, but unfortunately, the fire spread rapidly, trapping many inside. The death toll continues to rise as rescuers sift through the debris and search for survivors.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time. We hope that the authorities can determine the cause of the fire and prevent such a tragedy from happening again in the future.

Tags:
1. Turkey ski hotel fire
2. 66 killed in resort
3. Northwest ski hotel fire
4. Deadly ski hotel fire in Turkey
5. Turkey resort tragedy
6. Ski hotel fire casualties
7. Turkey ski resort disaster
8. Fatal fire in northwest Turkey
9. Ski hotel blaze kills 66
10. Turkey ski hotel tragedy
#Turkey #ski #hotel #fire #killed #resort #northwest
January 21, 2025
Deadly Turkish ski resort fire forces guests to jump from windows
STORY: A fire at a ski resort hotel in Turkey’s Bolu mountains killed dozens of people on Tuesday with some guests escaping by leaping from windows in the middle of the night.

Authorities said the blaze, which also injured at least 50, started at 3:30am on the Grand Kartal Hotel’s restaurant floor.

Broadcasters showed footage of white bed sheets dangling from the charred 11-story building.

A guest told a local broadcaster he saw people panicking and jumping out.

Authorities said they were investigating what caused the fire.

It coincided with school holidays when many families from nearby Istanbul and Ankara head to the Bolu mountains to ski.

A tragic incident occurred at a ski resort in Turkey as a deadly fire broke out, forcing guests to make a desperate decision to jump from windows in order to escape the flames. The terrifying scene unfolded at the Dora Hotel in the popular ski town of Uludag, where flames quickly engulfed the building, trapping guests inside.

Reports indicate that at least three people lost their lives in the blaze, with several others suffering injuries as a result of jumping from the upper floors of the hotel. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but early reports suggest that it may have been sparked by an electrical fault.

The harrowing images of guests leaping from windows to safety serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that can arise in emergency situations. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones during this tragic time.

Tags:
1. Turkish ski resort fire
2. Deadly ski resort fire
3. Ski resort fire tragedy
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5. Ski resort fire escape
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7. Ski resort fire news
8. Ski resort fire updates
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10. Ski resort fire rescue
#Deadly #Turkish #ski #resort #fire #forces #guests #jump #windows
January 21, 2025
66 dead as blaze engulfs hotel in Türkiye’s Kartalkaya ski resort
A fire engulfed an 11-story hotel at Kartalkaya Ski Resort in Türkiye’s Bolu province early Tuesday, killing 66 people and injuring 51 others.

“We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters after inspecting the site and providing the latest information.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu said at least one of the injured was in serious condition, while 17 victims had been discharged from hospitals.

The blaze started around 3:30 a.m. (12:30 a.m. GMT) on the fourth floor of the 161-room hotel, the Bolu Governor’s Office said in a statement. The hotel’s location, perched on a cliff, posed significant challenges for firefighters attempting to control the flames.

Yerlikaya said the first extinguishing effort was made at 4:15 a.m.

Emergency crews, including fire trucks and ambulances, responded from Bolu and neighboring provinces. Despite the 10-hour firefighting operation, efforts failed to save the 66 lives lost.

An immediate judicial investigation, led by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, involved six prosecutors and a five-member expert committee assigned to determine the cause of the fire.

Expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan assured the public that an investigation was underway to identify those responsible. “Every necessary step is being taken and will continue to be taken to clarify the incident and hold those responsible accountable fully,” he said.

Television footage showed flames consuming the upper floors and roof of the hotel. Images also captured fire engines surrounding the charred building and white bed sheets tied together, dangling from windows as desperate guests tried to escape.

The fire coincided with Türkiye’s school holidays, a peak period for families from Istanbul and Ankara visiting the Bolu mountains for winter sports.

At the time of the incident, Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydın said 234 guests were staying at the hotel.

Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes. Barış Salgür, who works at a neighboring hotel, said he was in his room when he heard screams. “I saw people shouting for help from the windows. We brought ropes, pillows and quilts. Before firefighters arrived, two women jumped from the upper floors,” Salgür told reporters.

Ski instructor Necmi Kepçetutan, a hotel resident, said he woke to chaos and helped rescue about 20 guests. “The smoke was suffocating, and it was difficult for people to find the fire escape,” he told NTV television.

First lady Emine Erdoğan expressed her sorrow in a social media post, extending condolences and best wishes for the recovery of those affected.

Also on X, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Opposition leaders, including those from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), expressed grief and pledged cooperation in the investigations.

Communications Director Fahrettin Altun emphasized the importance of avoiding misinformation and urged media outlets to rely on official statements during crises.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed sadness over the incident. “I extend my heartfelt condolences to my dear brother President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish nation, especially the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this accident and pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” he wrote on X.

Hadja Lahbib, the EU commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management, who is currently on an official visit to Türkiye, expressed her “deepest condolences” to Türkiye and the families of the victims. “The EU stands in solidarity and offers support through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism,” she said on X.

Eyewitness Ali Atmaca said he and others brought mattresses to soften the impact for those jumping from windows. “Despite our efforts, many lives were lost right before our eyes. It’s devastating,” Atmaca said.

“My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,” Atakan Yelkovan, a guest staying on the third floor of the hotel, told Ihlas News Agency (IHA).

“We tried to go upstairs but couldn’t – there were flames. We went downstairs and came here (outside),” he said. “People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets … some tried to jump,” he added.

Kartalkaya Ski Resort, nestled in the Köroğlu Mountains, is about 38 kilometers (24 miles) from Bolu and 270 kilometers from Istanbul. As a precaution, other hotels in the area were evacuated, and guests were relocated to accommodations in Bolu.

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Tragic news out of Türkiye’s Kartalkaya ski resort as a devastating fire has claimed the lives of 66 people at a local hotel. The blaze, which quickly engulfed the building, has left a community in mourning and authorities scrambling to determine the cause of the deadly inferno. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones during this difficult time. #KartalkayaFire #PrayForTürkiye

Tags:
1. Turkey ski resort
2. Kartalkaya ski resort
3. Hotel fire
4. Fatal blaze
5. Tragic incident
6. Ski resort tragedy
7. Kartalkaya hotel fire
8. Turkey news
9. Deadly fire
10. Ski resort disaster
#dead #blaze #engulfs #hotel #Türkiyes #Kartalkaya #ski #resort
January 21, 2025
Scores killed as fire engulfs Turkish ski resort hotel
Getty Images

The fire is thought to have started in the hotel’s restaurant area

A fire has engulfed a hotel in the Turkish ski resort of Bolu, killing 66 people and injuring at least 51 more, officials have said.

The fire broke out at the 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel at 03:27 local time (00:27 GMT) during a busy holiday period when 234 people were staying there, he added.

An initial toll of 10 dead was raised significantly in the hours after the fire by Turkey’s interior ministry. At least two people died after jumping from the hotel’s windows, Turkish reports said.

Footage circulating in Turkey showed linen hanging from windows which was used by those trying to escape the burning building.

Bolu governor Abdulaziz Aydin said initial reports suggested the fire had broken out in the restaurant section of the hotel’s fourth floor and spread to the floors above.

The hotel was investigating whether guests had been trapped in their rooms as the fire spread.

The governor told reporters the distance between the hotel, in Kartalkaya, and the centre of Bolu, paired with the freezing weather conditions, meant it took more than an hour for fire engines to arrive.

Rescue efforts continued through the morning, and the interior minister said emergency services had deployed 267 people to respond to the fire.

By mid-morning the local mayor said they were still trying to reach parts of the hotel.

Deadly fire at Turkey ski resort hotel

The Bolu mountains are popular with skiers from Istanbul and the capital Ankara and the hotel was operating at high occupancy at the start of two-week school holidays.

The north-western town is about 170km (105 miles) from Ankara.

Although the fire was confined to one hotel, the governor told Turkish media that a neighbouring hotel was evacuated as a precaution.

Getty Images

Pictures of the scene show bedsheets hanging from windows of the hotel’s upper floors

Ski instructor Necmi Kepcetutan told Turkish TV he had managed to escape because he knew the hotel, while guests who did not know it as well as him were not as fortunate.

“People were shouting at the windows, ‘Save us,’ because there was intense smoke inside. We pulled 20-25 people out,” he told NTV.

The circumstances that led to the fire are not yet clear.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said prosecutors had been allocated to investigate the blaze.

Scores Killed in Tragic Turkish Ski Resort Hotel Fire

A devastating fire broke out at a ski resort hotel in Turkey, claiming the lives of scores of people. The blaze engulfed the hotel in the early hours of the morning, trapping guests and staff inside.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, but the ferocity of the fire made it difficult to rescue those trapped inside. The exact number of casualties is still being determined, but it is believed that dozens of people have lost their lives in this tragic incident.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but initial reports suggest that it may have been sparked by an electrical fault. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

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January 21, 2025
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January 4, 2025

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