KARTALKAYA, Turkey — A devastating fire erupted in the Grand Kartal Hotel, a popular ski resort situated in northwestern Turkey’s Koroglu mountains, leading to a tragic loss of life. Friends Esra Karakisa and Halime Cetin witnessed the chaos as smoke filled the air, with onlookers desperately calling for help and some making the heartbreaking choice to jump from the building in an effort to escape the flames.
The tragic incident, which occurred on Tuesday, resulted in at least 76 fatalities and another 51 individuals seeking medical treatment, as hotels in the region were brimming with guests due to the winter school holiday. Cetin, who works at a nearby hotel, recounted the harrowing scene: “There was no one around. They were calling for firefighters. They were breaking the windows. Some could no longer stand the smoke and flames, and they jumped.”
Reflecting on the panic unfolding, Karakisa expressed, “It was awful. We were terrified. People were screaming. The cries of children especially affected us. We wanted to help but there was nothing we could do. I couldn’t look; it was so terrifying.”
In response to the disaster, six prosecutors have been appointed to investigate the cause of the fire, which is believed to have initiated in the restaurant area on the fourth floor of the wooden hotel structure. Reports indicate that the flames spread rapidly through the upper floors. Authorities have detained at least nine individuals, including the hotel owner, for questioning.
As part of the nation’s response to the tragedy, flags at government buildings and Turkish diplomatic missions were lowered to half-staff, marking a day of mourning for the victims. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that only 45 of the deceased have been identified thus far. Among the injured, one person remains in serious condition, while others have been treated and released. Funeral services for the victims began on Wednesday across the country.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled from Ankara to Bolu to pay his respects at the funeral of the Gultekin family, which lost eight members in the tragedy. During the service, he expressed profound sorrow: “Our hearts are broken. May God grant us patience.” In the capital, mourners gathered at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Mosque to honor Ahmet Cetiz, a physician, along with his family, who perished in the incident.
According to the Interior Minister, there were 238 registered guests at the hotel when the fire broke out, reported at 3:27 a.m. local time, with emergency responders receiving the alarm approximately 48 minutes later. Witnesses noted that rescue operations were complicated by the hotel’s location on a cliffside.
Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the hotel had undergone inspections in both 2021 and 2024, during which no fire safety issues had been reported. Amid the confusion, Karakisa sought to provide aid to survivors by bringing essentials such as clothing and water, while others attempted to assist victims by placing mattresses on the ground as makeshift safety measures for individuals jumping from higher floors.
Baris Salgur, a local hotel cleaner, described the desperation of the situation, with voices pleading for help and the need to call the fire department. “It was very high, we couldn’t extend a rope or anything of course. We were trying to do the best we could,” Salgur said. With a heavy heart, he recalled individuals leaping from significant heights as flames invaded their rooms, including an incident involving a man holding a baby, desperately seeking help. “Unfortunately, the baby had died from smoke inhalation,” he regretted.
