66 killed, over 50 injured in massive fire at Turkey’s ski resort hotel in Bolu

A devastating fire at a ski resort hotel in Turkey’s Bolu mountains on Tuesday claimed the lives of 66 people and caused many guests to leap from windows in a desperate attempt to escape, as per a report in Reuters.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu confirmed that 51 others were injured in the blaze at the Kartalkaya resort in northwest Turkey.

The fire, which broke out at approximately 3:30 a.m. (0030 GMT), started on the restaurant floor of the 11-story Grand Kartal Hotel.

Emergency responders surrounded the smoldering hotel as guests tied white bed sheets together in an attempt to flee from upper-floor windows.

The blaze broke out at the 161-room hotel, which was housing 238 registered guests at the time.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed his deep sorrow, stating, “We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel.” The fire, believed to have started in the hotel's restaurant area, spread rapidly, making evacuation difficult for guests.

At least two victims died after jumping from the building in panic as the fire engulfed the structure. Governor Abdulaziz Aydin shared that the deaths occurred after the guests were unable to escape due to the intense smoke and flames.

Ski instructor Necmi Kepcetutan, who was staying at the hotel, recalled waking up to the fire and quickly helping around 20 guests escape. He described the hotel as being thick with smoke, making it nearly impossible for guests to find the fire escape. "I cannot reach some of my students. I hope they are OK,” Kepcetutan told NTV television.

Guest Atakan Yelkovan, staying on the third floor, revealed that the hotel’s fire alarm system failed to activate. "My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,” he said. He and other guests tried to escape by going downstairs but were blocked by flames. It took approximately an hour for firefighting teams to arrive. "People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets... Some tried to jump," Yelkovan recounted.

Investigators are focusing on the hotel's wooden exterior cladding, suggesting it may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. The hotel is also partially built on the side of a cliff, which hindered firefighting efforts, with authorities only able to intervene from the front and sides of the building.

The Turkish government has appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the cause of the fire. The hotel was last inspected in 2021 and 2024, with no issues reported regarding fire safety, according to Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences, stating, "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." He pledged that all necessary steps would be taken to fully investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

(With AP inputs)