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Turkey Ski Resort Fire: Smoke Detectors Dysfunctional? What We Know About The Blaze That Claimed At Least 76 Lives And Injured 51

The blaze broke out in the early hours of Tuesday at approximately 3:30 am in the hotel's restaurant before rapidly engulfing the 12-storey structure.

by Tooba Shaikh
Turkey Ski Resort Fire: Smoke Detectors Dysfunctional? What We Know About The Blaze That Claimed At Least 76 Lives And Injured 51

At least 76 people lost their lives and 51 others sustained injuries in a devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel, a ski resort in Kartalkaya, northwestern Turkey. The blaze broke out in the early hours of Tuesday at approximately 3:30 am in the hotel’s restaurant before rapidly engulfing the 12-storey structure. Here are all of the other important details that you would need to know about this tragic fire.

Turkey Ski Resort Fire: What We Know About The Blaze

According to an article that was recently published by The Times Of India or TOI, the resort was situated in Bolu province roughly 300 kilometres east of Istanbul. The incident occurred during the school semester break when the resort was bustling with holidaymakers.

Of the 234 guests present, many faced grave difficulties escaping the smoke-filled building. Some desperate visitors resorted to climbing down makeshift rope ladders fashioned from sheets and blankets, whilst two individuals tragically jumped from the building.

Guest Atakan Yelkovan recounted the harrowing scenes to the IHA news agency, noting both the terrified screams of those trapped on upper floors and the fire brigade’s delayed response time of approximately one hour.

Also Read: Los Angeles Fire: 16 Declared Dead, 12,000 Structures Burned To The Ground & Other Updates From The Heartbreaking Tragedy

Smoke Detectors Dysfunctional? What Eyewitnesses Say

Yelkovan also reported that the hotel’s fire detection system had failed, with his wife detecting the danger only through the smell of smoke. A ski instructor, Necmi Kepcetutan, told NTV television how he assisted roughly 20 guests to safety.

He also expressed concern about several students he had been unable to contact. The hotel’s wooden chalet-style cladding potentially contributed to the rapid spread of the flames, according to NTV reports. The building’s precarious cliffside location hampered firefighting efforts.

It resulted in extensive damage including destroyed upper floors and roof, alongside a severely charred lobby. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that six prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the cause of the incident.

As a precautionary measure, neighbouring hotels were evacuated, with displaced guests being relocated throughout Bolu province. Coincidentally, on the same day, a separate incident involving a gas explosion at the Yildiz Mountain Winter Sports Centre in central Turkey’s Sivas province left four people injured, including one instructor with second-degree burns.

Also Read: Los Angeles Wildfire: 5 Dead, Thousands Evacuated And Other Latest Updates From The Fire-Stricken US City

The tragedy has particularly impacted the popular winter destination of Kartalkaya during its peak holiday season.

Cover Image Credits: @WhileTravelling/X (Formerly, Twitter)

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First Published: January 22, 2025 10:48 AM