Tragic Blaze at Turkish Ski Resort Claims 66 Lives and Injures Over 50

ANKARA, Turkey — A blaze tore through a 12-story establishment at a well-known ski resort in northwestern Turkey in the early hours of Tuesday during a student holiday, resulting in at least 66 fatalities — including at least two individuals who jumped from the structure to flee the fire, officials indicated.

Additionally, at least 51 individuals sustained injuries from the inferno at the Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, situated in the Koroglu mountains of Bolu province, approximately 300 kilometers (185 miles) east of Istanbul, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. The fire broke out coinciding with the start of a two-week winter recess for schools, a period during which the local hotels are highly occupied.

“We are experiencing profound sorrow. Tragically, 66 lives have been lost in the fire that erupted at this hotel,” Yerlikaya stated to the media following an inspection of the scene.

Atakan Yelkovan, a guest on the third floor, reported to the IHA news agency that chaos ensued on the upper levels as other patrons endeavored to escape the blaze, with some attempting to lower themselves from their rooms using sheets and blankets.

“Individuals on the upper floors were shouting. They lowered sheets… Some tried to leap,” Yelkovan recounted.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu mentioned that at least one person among the injured was critically hurt, while 17 others received treatment and were discharged.

The hotel had a total of 238 registered guests, said Yerlikaya. The fire was reported at 3:27 a.m., and firefighting efforts began at 4:15 a.m., as per his statement to the media.

The authorities designated six prosecutors to spearhead a probe into the fire, which is suspected to have originated in the hotel’s dining area. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc stated that four individuals, including the hotel’s proprietor, were taken into custody for investigation as part of the inquiry.

At least two of the deceased were reported to have jumped from the building in haste, according to Gov. Abdulaziz Aydin who spoke to the state-run Anadolu Agency earlier. The victims included Nedim Turkmen, a columnist for Sozcu newspaper, along with his wife and two children, as announced by the newspaper.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning for Wednesday. All flags on government properties and Turkish diplomatic missions abroad will be flown at half-mast, he stated.

Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor at the hotel, expressed that he was asleep when the flames erupted, and he hurried out of the property. He mentioned to NTV television that he subsequently aided roughly 20 guests in exiting the hotel.

The hotel was filled with smoke, complicating the guests’ ability to find the emergency exit, he added.

“I can’t reach some of my students. I hope they are safe,” the ski instructor told the network.

Television footage displayed the roof and upper floors of the hotel engulfed in fire.

Witness accounts and reports implied that the hotel’s fire alarm system malfunctioned.

“My wife noticed the burning odor. The alarm did not activate,” Yelkovan, the guest interviewed by IHA, stated. “We attempted to ascend but were unable due to the flames. We went downstairs and ended up here (outside),” he explained.

Yelkovan mentioned that it took approximately an hour for the firefighting units to arrive.

NTV television speculated that the wooden siding on the exterior of the hotel, designed in a chalet style, may have expedited the fire’s spread.

A section of the 161-room hotel is perched on the edge of a cliff, which hindered efforts to extinguish the fire.

“Since the rear side is on a slope, intervention could only occur from the front and sides,” confirmed Yerlikaya.

Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy informed reporters that the hotel underwent assessments in 2021 and 2024, and that “no issues regarding fire safety” were reported by the fire department.

In an earlier speech in Ankara, Erdogan remarked: “Sadly, we learned devastating news this morning from Bolu, Kartalkaya. Our brothers and sisters lost their lives and were injured in a fire that broke out in a hotel.”

“Every necessary action will be taken to clarify all facets of the incident and to ensure accountability for those responsible,” he added.

NTV showcased a smoke-tinged lobby, its glass entry and windows shattered, with its wooden reception area burned and a chandelier fallen to the floor.

Aydin’s office reported that 30 fire units and 28 ambulances were dispatched to the location.

Other accommodations at the resort were evacuated as a precautionary measure, with guests placed in nearby hotels around Bolu.

In another incident, a gas explosion at a hotel in a different ski resort in central Turkey injured four individuals.

The explosion occurred at the Yildiz Mountain Winter Sports Center in Sivas province. Two skiers and their instructor suffered minor injuries, while another instructor sustained second-degree burns on the hands and face, according to the Sivas governor’s office.