Turkey detains nine people over ski resort hotel fire that killed 76
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ANKARA – Turkey has detained nine people, including a hotel owner, in connection with a fire that killed 76 people and injured dozens at a ski resort
He added that the bodies of 45 victims had been handed over to their families, while tests were being conducted to identify the remaining bodies at a forensic institute.
The fire occurred at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu mountains.
The hotel, where the fire broke out, expressed deep sorrow in a statement on Jan 22. “We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of this incident,” it added.
The 12-storey hotel, which had 238 registered guests, was consumed by flames after the fire started on the restaurant floor at around 3.30am local time. Survivors described scenes of panic as they fled through smoke-filled corridors and jumped from windows.
Authorities are facing growing criticism over the hotel’s safety measures, as survivors reported that no fire alarms went off. Guests said they had to navigate the corridors in complete darkness.
President Tayyip Erdogan declared Jan 22 a day of national mourning. The tragedy occurred during the peak of the winter tourism season, with many families from Istanbul and Ankara travelling to the Bolu mountains to ski. REUTERS
