Dozens of people were killed after fire that broke out at a hotel ski resort in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday (21/1), forcing desperate holidaymakers to jump out of windows to escape the flames and smoke.

At least 76 people were killed and 51 injured after a fire broke out early yesterday morning at a hotel in the resort of Kartalqaya in Bolu province, according to Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Many children are believed to be among the victims. Authorities have identified 52 of the dead, Yerlikaya said.

“Forty-five bodies were released to their families. We could not (immediately) identify the others,” the Turkish interior minister said, adding that emergency response teams would conduct a final search for the victims on Wednesday.

As the identities of some of the victims became known, local schools and businesses began posting death notices for students and teaching staff. Some were reported to be fifth grade students, ages 10 to 11.

The government has appointed six prosecutors to lead the investigation into the fire, which is believed to have started in the restaurant section of the hotel. Nine people have been arrested as part of the investigation into the fire, said Gerlickaya. Earlier, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said the hotel owner was among those arrested for questioning in the investigation.

The Turkish president declared a day of mourning on Wednesday. “Today is not a day of politics, it is a day of solidarity, to be one and together,” he told X, adding that whoever is found responsible will be held accountable.

“I say this clearly and unequivocally once and for all: Those who were the cause of such a disaster, those who showed negligence and culpability will be held accountable before the law,” Tajip Erdogan said.

Turkey’s Supreme Broadcasting Council has imposed a media ban on information related to the fire.

Mitsotakis’ message

In a message on Platform X, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his sadness over the tragic loss of human lives in the fire at the ski resort.

“On behalf of Greece, I express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” the prime minister said.

The fire caught them sleeping

The fire at the 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel, located in the well-known winter tourism destination Kartalkaya, about 300 km west of Istanbul and 180 km from Ankara, broke out at 3:27 am. At the time most of the hotel’s guests were in their rooms and the flames caught them sleeping, which is estimated to have added to the death toll.

Also contributing to the high number of casualties was the fact that at this time of year students in Turkey are on a two-week holiday after the end of the first semester at schools and for many families this is a winter holiday period.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. It is possible it was due to a gas leak or short circuit. Initial estimates say the fire started in the hotel’s restaurant area.

At the time of the fire, there were 237 guests at the hotel, according to Bolu Prefect Abdulaziz Aydin. Earlier, initial reports said ten people were killed and 32 injured, and then the public was shocked to learn from the interior minister that the toll had risen to 66 dead and 51 injured.

Seventeen injured have been discharged from the hospital where they were admitted.

Images showed that the fire quickly engulfed the hotel and completely destroyed it. Contributing to the rapid spread of the fire was the fact that the building had wood paneling on its walls. Authorities have warned of the danger of the building collapsing.

Complaints of inadequate fire protection

According to complaints, the hotel did not have a water fire extinguishing system that automatically activated in case of fire and the alarm did not sound. Initial reports that it did not have external escape stairs in case of fire either were denied by Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoi, who cited a certificate from the Fire Service.

It is also denounced that there is no fire station in Kartalkaya, which is one of the most important ski resorts, relatively close to Constantinople and Ankara. The nearest fire station is located one hour and 15 minutes away.