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Deadly Inferno kills 66 at a Luxury Turkish Ski Resort

fire turkey
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 Grand Kartal Hotel was a fully booked luxurious paradise located on the summit of the mountains. The hotel, offering the magnificence and peace of nature covered in white, offers its guests an unforgettable winter holiday with its comfortable rooms and quality service. An experience full of modern facilities and activities intertwined with nature was the selling point for this hotel that turned into a deadly inferno after 3 am this morning.

At least 66 individuals lost their lives, and 51 others sustained injuries in a tragic incident at Turkey’s Kartalkaya ski resort, specifically at the Grand Kartal Hotel. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire, as guests raised concerns regarding the fire alarm system and the alarmingly fast progression of the flames. Two hundred thirty-four guests stayed at the hotel about 185 miles (300 km) from Istanbul.

 Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. “We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel.” Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said at least one injured was in serious condition.

Officials and reports said the fire broke out at around 3:30 a.m. in the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel restaurant in the resort of Kartalkaya in Bolu province. 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.

Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor at the hotel, told local media he was asleep when the fire erupted. He rushed out of the building and helped 20+ guests escape. He said the hotel was engulfed in smoke, making it difficult for guests to locate the fire escape. The fire alarm did not work.

The hotel’s website featured a life camera showing the roof and top floors of the hotel on fire.

hoteldownsize | eTurboNews | eTN

It took about an hour for the firefighting to arrive.

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

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

The government appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the fire. 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. This 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.

The Grand Kartal website says: “Our hotel, offering the magnificence and peace of nature covered in white, offers its guests an unforgettable winter holiday with its comfortable rooms and quality service. An experience full of modern facilities and activities intertwined with nature awaits you. Prepare for a holiday where you will enjoy every moment at Grand Kartal.”


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