66 Dead in Devastating Fire at Turkey's Grand Kartal Hotel (X/@HamdiCelikbas)
World News: At least 66 people lost their lives and over 50 people were injured in a horrific fire at a ski resort hotel in Turkey’s Bolu mountains early on Tuesday morning. Several petrified guests, who were stuck in the fire, were forced to jump from windows in a desperate attempt to escape the flames, Reuters reported.
The blaze started around 3:30 am local time on the restaurant floor of the 11-storey Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in northwest Turkey. Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu confirmed the death toll and reported that at least 51 people were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, many with severe burns and injuries.
#BREAKING Devastating fire at ski resort in Türkiye leaves at least 66 dead and 51 injured after starting in a hotel restaurant and spreading rapidly, according to Turkish Interior Minister #Bolu #Kartalkaya #GrandKartal pic.twitter.com/0X6GFSf9ID
— 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 (@HamdiCelikbas) January 21, 2025
Earlier, Turkiye's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that authorities mobilized 267 emergency personnel to respond to the fire incident while Turkiye's Interior, Health, and Tourism ministers were heading to the Kartalkaya resort and are expected to address a press conference later on Tuesday, the ministries announced, according to reports. The resort is a popular destination for holidaymakers during the winter, particularly at the time of school holidays.
Governor Abdulaziz Aydin said that there were around 234 guests staying at the hotel. Aydin noted that two of the victims died after jumping out of the building "in panic." Several videos showed flames coming out of the top floors of the hotel, with some guests attempting to use tied bed sheets to escape.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation as authorities assess the situation. Eyewitness accounts describe chaotic scenes as guests sought safety from the flames. The incident has raised concerns about safety measures at hotels in tourist areas.
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