A fire engulfed a hotel at a Turkish ski resort on Tuesday, January 21. The tragic event took the lives of at least 66 people and injured 51 others. The event took place during a school holiday, meaning that the hotel was packed at the time the fire started.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The fire occurred at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, 300 miles from the city of Istanbul. According to Turkish officials, and reported by The Associated Press out of the 66 that have been confirmed killed by the fire, at least two of the fatal victims died after jumping out the window. They reportedly jumped to escape from the flames.
Minister Arli Yerlikaya detailed some of the information about the fire. "We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel," Yerlikaya told reporters at the site. He also confirmed that there were 238 registered guests and that the fire started at around 3:27 a.m. At 4:15 a.m., the fire department arrived to put out the fire.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu also confirmed that 51 people were injured. Among them, one remains in serious condition and 17 others received treatment and were released shortly after.
Nightmare Inferno
Many hotel guests talked with local media outlets and described the nightmarish inferno they had to face during early Tuesday hours. "People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets ... Some tried to jump," Atakan Yelkovan, one of the surviving hotel guests told the IHA news agency.
Ski instructor Necmi Kepcetutan said he was asleep when the fire started. Similarly, Yelkovan found out about the life-threatening fire while sleeping. "My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off," Yelkovan said. Kepcetutan was able to help 20 people out of the building, but the smoke made it difficult for people to find the fire escape.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the tragic incident shortly after. "Unfortunately, we received very sad news this morning from Bolu, Kartalkaya. Our brothers and sisters were killed and injured in a fire that broke out in a hotel," Erdogan said. "All necessary steps will be taken to shed light on all aspects of the incident and to hold those responsible accountable."
The Turkish President declared Wednesday a national mourning day. Currently, six prosecutors are investigating the fire, according to The Associated Press. Four people have been detained, including the hotel's owner. Reportedly, the wooden cladding on the hotel's exterior could have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
