dramatic fire in a hotel, at least 76 dead

At least seventy-six people died and 51 were injured in a fire in their hotel, apparently without an alarm system, which occurred in the middle of the night on Tuesday in a ski resort in central Turkey. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who confirmed this report, the fire broke out “at 3:27 a.m. (00:27 GMT)”while 238 guests were registered in the twelve-story luxury establishment, the Grand Kartal, located in Kartalkaya, a ski resort 170 km east of Ankara. “The fire is now under control and cooling operations” continue, added the minister who went to the site with several other members of the government. Following this tragedy, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a day of national mourning on Wednesday.

Tourism Minister Bakan Ersoy assured X that the hotel had been inspected and certified by firefighters in 2021 and 2024. Four people were arrested and taken into custody, including the hotel manager, announced the Minister of Justice, Yilmaz Tunc. An investigation was entrusted to “six prosecutors”supported by a committee of experts, he also specified. The cause of the disaster is not yet known but controversy and anger are already growing among survivors who denounce negligence. Hotel employees helped evacuate guests, but witnesses denounced the lack of alarms and smoke detectors. “No alarm went off, no smoke detector or emergency staircase even though there was smoke up to the tenth floor”denounced, on television, a crying fifty-year-old, who had been staying with his family since Sunday in the establishment.

Victims tried to “exit through the windows”

As immense flames ravaged the building, hotel employees helped evacuate guests. “I saw a father with his baby in his arms asking for pillows to throw his son, fortunately he waited for help who saved them. But on the top floor, two women threw themselves in front of my eyes, they were killed instantly”he reported, in a state of shock, to IHA. “People were calling for help, asking for blankets so they could get out through the windows”testified Baris Salgur, employee of a nearby hotel. “We brought them what we found, ropes, pillows, and even a sofa… When the flames approached them, some threw themselves into the void”.

According to the private television channel NTV, at least three people died jumping out of windows. The fire started on the upper floors and then quickly spread to the rest of the building due to the exterior wooden cladding, reported Turkish media whose images showed large flames escaping from the upper windows and the roof, as well as only plumes of black smoke.

“People were screaming, they hung up sheets to try to get out, some jumped out of the windows but others had children, friends… There was no emergency exit”denounced Atakan Yelkovan, a thirty-year-old who was staying on the third floor with his wife and was able to go down quickly. “There were no firefighters around. It took about an hour to an hour and a half for them to arrive.he assured the Turkish agency IHA. Video from IHA shows customers at windows at night, calling for help: “Where are the firefighters! help us ».

Six prosecutors in charge of the investigation

The images taken by drone bear witness to the devastation in the roof and in the upper floors of the establishment, installed at the top of a cliff to have a panoramic view, which complicated the intervention of the 428 firefighters mobilized and arrived on the scene at 4:15 a.m., said the Minister of the Interior. He promised that “all measures will be taken if the investigation shows that there has been negligence or that faults have been committed”. The Minister of Justice announced that an investigation had been entrusted to “six prosecutors” which will be supported by a committee of experts. In front of his AKP party, meeting in congress, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also assured that “everything will be done to shed light on all aspects of the tragedy and to hold those responsible to account”.

Tuesday evening, families were gathered in front of the hospital in Bolu, the regional capital, whose morgue received the bodies of the victims. Nineteen people remained hospitalized, including one in serious condition, according to the Minister of the Interior. Many countries, including Germany, neighboring Greece, Ukraine, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, European Union officials and Russian President Vladimir Putin have sent their condolences and expressed solidarity after the tragedy.