In a shocking incident, nine people were arrested who were associated with the blaze that killed 76 people in a ski resort hotel in Turkiye, with one of them being the owner of the hotel. The arrests were confirmed by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
The government has assigned six prosecutors to head an investigation into the blaze, which it is reported broke out in the restaurant section of the 12-storey resort hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort of the Bolu Mountains. As the probe continues, criticism against the fire safety measures taken by the authorities at the hotel is mounting.
urvivors out of 238 registered guests have narrated terrible tales, attaching the fact that the hotel’s fire detection did not sound while the fire was occurring. Most complained of moving through smoke-filled halls in utmost darkness as there was no alarm informing them that the building was on fire. Panic cases resulted, and some people jumped through windows to run away from the fire.
Minister Yerlikaya said the bodies of 45 victims have been returned to their families. The DNA tests of the rest of the deceased are being conducted. “Our hearts are broken. We are in mourning,” he told reporters outside the hotel. “But it is important to know that those responsible for this tragedy will face justice.”
The hotel management expressed profound sorrow over the incident, assuring full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. “We are deeply saddened by the losses and stand in solidarity with those affected,” the hotel said in a statement.
In response to the tragedy, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning on Wednesday. The fire erupted during the peak winter tourism season at Kartalkaya, a popular destination approximately 295 kilometers east of Istanbul, known for attracting thousands of visitors each year.
