Thursday, February 6th, 2025

Turkiye: At least 66 dead, 51 injured in ski resort fire




At least 66 people were killed and 51 injured in a massive fire at a hotel in northern Turkey on Tuesday, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported, citing local authorities.

The fire broke out in the hotel’s restaurant area at around 00:27 GMT, immediately engulfing the building, according to Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin, according to AA.

Emergency teams from neighboring cities, including firefighters, disaster response units and medical teams supported by helicopters, were dispatched to the scene, the AA reported.

Authorities evacuated approximately 230 guests from the hotel as firefighting efforts continued. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç said a judicial investigation was launched by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, which appointed six public prosecutors and formed a five-member expert committee, AA noted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he/she was closely monitoring the incident through relevant institutions after the fire broke out. “I pray for mercy from Allah for our citizens who lost their lives… and a speedy recovery for our injured,” he/she said in a post on Twitter.

According to AA, Kartalkaya in Bolu province is one of Türkiye’s major winter tourist destinations attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season. The resort is located about 295 kilometers east of Istanbul.

The report said the resort is a popular destination for holidaymakers during winter, especially during the school holidays, which begin in January and end in the first week of February.

Governor Abdulaziz Aydin said about 234 guests were staying at the hotel, CNN reported, citing Anadolu Agency. Aydın noted that two of the victims died after jumping out of the building “in panic”.

Several videos, some of which were posted on social media platforms and some were broadcast by Turkish TV channels, showed flames coming from an upper floor of the hotel. In the video, some people tried to use tied sheets to escape the fire.



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