The death toll from the devastating fire at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkey, in the province of Bolu (Northwest), rises to 76 deaths, and nine people were arrested in connection with the disaster, announced Tuesday January 21 the Minister of the Interior, Ali Yerlikaya.
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| At the scene of a hotel fire in the Kartalkaya ski resort in Türkiye. |
| Photo : Xinhua/VNA/CVN |
Speaking to reporters on site, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that search and rescue operations at the site had now ended.
“Unfortunately, the number of lives lost has risen to 76. Our teams have completed their search efforts and investigations are ongoing”he said.
-The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, quickly spread through the 12-story wooden hotel. Initial investigations suggest the fire started in the restaurant area on the fourth floor before spreading to the upper levels.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Wednesday a day of national mourning.
The hotel accommodated 238 guests during the peak holiday season.
Kartalkaya is a popular ski resort located in the Koroglu Mountains, approximately 300 km east of Istanbul.
Xinhua/VNA/CVN
