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- Ocak 16, 2025
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A catastrophic fire engulfed the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya Ski Resort, northwestern Turkey, claiming 78 lives. The blaze broke out on January 21, 2025, around 3:30 a.m., in the hotel’s restaurant on the fourth floor, quickly spreading through the 12-story wooden structure, trapping many of the 234 registered guests.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic escape attempts, with guests using bedsheets to climb down windows. Survivors reported the absence of functional fire alarms, raising serious concerns over safety lapses.
The Kartalkaya tragedy has ignited a heated debate over regulatory failures and accountability. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy claimed that the fire brigade had not flagged the Grand Kartal Hotel as a fire risk, pointing blame at Bolu Municipality. However, Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan countered that fire inspections were the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s responsibility, emphasizing that no inspection requests had been made regarding the hotel’s safety.
Revelations showed that the Grand Kartal Hotel attempted a fire inspection in December 2024 but failed to meet requirements, withdrawing its application shortly after. The municipality inspected the hotel’s restaurant and flagged several deficiencies, issuing a list of required changes, but no follow-up action was taken.
Authorities launched a judicial investigation, detaining 11 individuals, including the hotel’s owner, Bolu’s deputy mayor, and the acting fire chief, over suspected negligence. A five-member expert committee and six prosecutors have been tasked with determining the fire’s cause and accountability for safety violations.
Search-and-rescue operations concluded on January 22 at 3:30 p.m. The hotel, heavily damaged, has been sealed off, and authorities will decide whether to demolish it or perform reinforcement work after the final investigation report.
Funerals were held for 45 identified victims, with their lifeless bodies handed over to their families. Condolence messages were shared by the organizations and schools of the deceased.
The Kartalkaya tragedy has highlighted gaps in fire safety compliance and regulatory oversight within Turkey’s tourism industry. The rapid spread of the fire, exacerbated by the hotel’s wooden cladding, along with the absence of functional fire alarms and delays in inspections, has sparked nationwide outrage. As investigations continue, the disaster underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent future tragedies.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic escape attempts, with guests using bedsheets to climb down windows. Survivors reported the absence of functional fire alarms, raising serious concerns over safety lapses.
FIRE SAFETY UNDER SCRUTINY
The Kartalkaya tragedy has ignited a heated debate over regulatory failures and accountability. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy claimed that the fire brigade had not flagged the Grand Kartal Hotel as a fire risk, pointing blame at Bolu Municipality. However, Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan countered that fire inspections were the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s responsibility, emphasizing that no inspection requests had been made regarding the hotel’s safety.
Revelations showed that the Grand Kartal Hotel attempted a fire inspection in December 2024 but failed to meet requirements, withdrawing its application shortly after. The municipality inspected the hotel’s restaurant and flagged several deficiencies, issuing a list of required changes, but no follow-up action was taken.
JUDICIAL ACTION AND ARRESTS
Authorities launched a judicial investigation, detaining 11 individuals, including the hotel’s owner, Bolu’s deputy mayor, and the acting fire chief, over suspected negligence. A five-member expert committee and six prosecutors have been tasked with determining the fire’s cause and accountability for safety violations.
AFTERMATH AND HOTEL’S FATE
Search-and-rescue operations concluded on January 22 at 3:30 p.m. The hotel, heavily damaged, has been sealed off, and authorities will decide whether to demolish it or perform reinforcement work after the final investigation report.
Funerals were held for 45 identified victims, with their lifeless bodies handed over to their families. Condolence messages were shared by the organizations and schools of the deceased.
SYSTEMIC FAILURES EXPOSED
The Kartalkaya tragedy has highlighted gaps in fire safety compliance and regulatory oversight within Turkey’s tourism industry. The rapid spread of the fire, exacerbated by the hotel’s wooden cladding, along with the absence of functional fire alarms and delays in inspections, has sparked nationwide outrage. As investigations continue, the disaster underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent future tragedies.