Photo Credit:Mehmet Emin Gurbuz/Anadolu via Getty
A catastrophic fire that engulfed the Grand Kartal hotel at Turkey's Kartalkaya ski resort has claimed 76 lives and left 51 people injured in one of the country's deadliest hotel disasters. The blaze, which began at 3:27 AM on January 21, 2025, tore through the 12-story wooden-clad structure during peak tourist season, when the facility was hosting numerous families during a two-week school holiday.
"Our pain is great," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters at the scene, confirming that authorities have identified 52 of the deceased. The tragedy has particularly impacted young lives, with local schools posting death notices for students, including fifth-graders aged 10-11, who were among the victims.
Witness accounts paint a harrowing picture of the disaster. "I heard screams around midnight, residents were shouting for help," recalled Baris Salgur, who works at a nearby hotel. Desperate guests resorted to using bedsheets as makeshift ropes to escape the flames, while some attempted to jump from windows. The hotel's location, partially backed against a cliff, complicated rescue efforts.
Questions have emerged about the facility's safety measures. Several survivors reported that no fire alarms sounded during the incident. Atakan Yelkovan, a third-floor guest, told AP that firefighters took approximately an hour to arrive at the scene. This delay, combined with alleged safety system failures, has prompted a swift government response.
Turkish authorities have detained nine individuals, including the hotel's owner, as part of an investigation led by six prosecutors. Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy noted that the hotel had passed fire safety inspections in 2021 and 2024, though these claims now face scrutiny given the magnitude of the disaster.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Wednesday a national day of mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-staff across all government buildings and Turkish diplomatic missions abroad. "Today is not a day for politics; it is a day for solidarity, for being one and together," Erdogan stated on social media, promising accountability for those responsible.
The incident has sparked immediate action from emergency services, with 267 emergency personnel, 30 fire trucks, and 28 ambulances deployed to the scene. Authorities evacuated neighboring hotels as a precautionary measure, relocating guests to other accommodations in Bolu province.
