A devastating fire killed 76 people at a luxury hotel in Türkiye. The survivors point to serious negligence. The investigation will have to shed light on this tragedy which is putting the country into mourning…
It is a tragedy that is shaking Turkey. During the night from Monday to Tuesday, a terrible fire broke out in a luxury hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort, in the heart of the country. The toll, still provisional, shows at least 76 deaths. An investigation was opened to determine the exact causes of the incident and to point out possible negligence.
A fire of rare violence
According to initial information, the fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. in a restaurant located on the 4th floor of the Grand Kartal hotel, which has twelve in total. Despite the rapid intervention of the emergency services, with no less than 428 firefighters and 156 trucks mobilized according to the Minister of the Interior, the flames spread at lightning speed.
Several witnesses, however, claim to have smelled suspicious smoke and seen emerging flames at 2:30 a.m. But more than an hour later, while customers on the upper floors desperately called for help, no help was yet on site. The exterior wooden cladding would have accelerated the spread of the fire, trapping many victims on the upper floors.
A heavy human toll
The day after the tragedy, the Turkish authorities recorded 76 deaths and a still unclear number of injured. According to the local press, 14 members of the same family died in the flames. A real massacre for this luxury hotel, almost full during this school holiday period with 238 registered customers.
It was a nightmare, people were screaming and jumping out of windows. I managed to escape but I lost everything, it’s a miracle that I’m alive.
– Ömer, a survivor of the fire
An investigation to shed light
Although the exact causes of the fire remain to be determined, many survivors point to serious negligence in terms of safety: lack of fire alarm and smoke detectors, no fire doors… Failures which would have had dramatic consequences .
-The prosecution launched an investigation and six prosecutors were appointed. A committee of five experts was also formed. Nine people, including the hotel manager, have already been taken into police custody. The municipality and the Ministry of Tourism share responsibility for monitoring the establishment’s safety standards.
This is a huge tragedy for our country. Responsibilities will be established and the guilty punished.
– Ali Yerlikaya, Turkish Interior Minister
A mourning ski resort
This renowned hotel was one of the flagships of Kartalkaya, a major ski destination in Türkiye located less than 4 hours’ drive from Istanbul. The resort, known for its breathtaking landscapes, is today in mourning. Most of the hotel’s occupants were families who came to spend a few days in the mountains during the holidays.
If human failure were to be proven, this tragedy would inevitably raise the question of the safety of buildings welcoming the public in Türkiye. Recent deadly fires in dormitories and hospitals have already highlighted certain flaws in this area.
The Turkish authorities will have to learn the lessons of this disaster so that such a scenario does not happen again. In the meantime, an entire country mourns its dead and hopes for quick answers so that justice can be done to the victims and their loved ones.
