Turkish authorities have detained nine people, including the owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel, in connection with a devastating fire that killed 76 people and injured dozens at a ski resort in western Turkey.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the detentions on Wednesday, revealing that 45 of the victims’ bodies had been identified and handed over to their families, while DNA tests were ongoing to identify the remaining victims at a forensic institute.
The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. (0030 GMT) on the restaurant floor of the 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel, located in the Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu mountains. At the time, 238 guests were registered at the hotel.
Survivors described scenes of panic, with guests fleeing through smoke-filled corridors and jumping from windows to escape the flames. Reports indicate that no fire alarms sounded during the incident, leaving guests to navigate in darkness.
The hotel management, in a statement issued on Wednesday, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
“We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of this incident. We are deeply saddened by the losses and share this pain with all our hearts,” the statement read.
The incident has sparked criticism over the hotel’s safety measures, with growing concerns about fire prevention protocols.
President Tayyip Erdogan declared Wednesday a day of national mourning to honor the victims. The tragedy comes during the peak winter tourism season, drawing families from Istanbul and Ankara to the Bolu mountains for skiing. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire.
