KARTALKAYA, Turkey — A devastating fire engulfed the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey, leaving a profound mark on the nation. The tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday, claiming the lives of at least 76 individuals and injuring 51 others. This calamity struck just as schools were about to begin a two-week winter break, a peak time for hotel occupancy in the region.
Witnesses, including friends Esra Karakisa and Halime Cetin, observed the chaos and desperation as guests panicked. They described a scene filled with heart-wrenching cries for help from people trapped in smoke-filled rooms, while some faced the grim choice of jumping to escape the flames. Cetin, who works at a neighboring hotel, recounted, “There was no one around. They were calling for firefighters. They were breaking the windows. Some could no longer endure the smoke and flames, and they jumped.”
Karakisa expressed the horror of the situation, saying, “It was awful. We were terrified. The cries of children especially affected us. We wanted to help but there was nothing we could do. I couldn’t bear to look; it was terrifying.” The fire reportedly began in the restaurant area on the fourth floor and quickly spread through the wooden structure. In the aftermath, authorities have launched an investigation with six prosecutors assigned to determine the cause, while at least nine individuals, including the hotel’s owner, have been detained for questioning.
In a day of national mourning, flags were lowered at government offices and embassies abroad as the country paid its respects to those lost. As of late Tuesday, only 45 of the deceased had been positively identified, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. Among the injured, one person remains in serious condition; 29 others were treated and sent home.
Turkey held funeral prayers the following day for the victims. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Bolu to attend the funeral of eight members of the Gultekin family, who were connected to a ruling party official. “Our hearts are broken,” Erdogan stated during the ceremony, signaling the collective grief of the nation.
In the capital, mourners gathered at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Mosque to pay tribute to Dr. Ahmet Cetiz, his wife Habibe, and their two sons, with a third son feared dead. A funeral was also conducted for 15-year-old Eren Bagci, a skiing enthusiast who had been visiting Kartalkaya with friends.
Interior Minister Yerlikaya revealed that the hotel had 238 registered guests at the time of the fire. Emergency services received the alarm at 3:27 a.m. local time, with firefighters arriving on scene at 4:15 a.m. Rescue operations faced significant challenges as part of the hotel was situated on a cliffside.
Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy reported that inspections of the hotel in 2021 and 2024 did not reveal any fire safety issues. Accounts from witnesses like Karakisa illustrated the desperate attempts to aid those trapped. She mentioned providing clothing and water to survivors, while others tried to bring mattresses to cushion the falls or positioned ladders for escape.
Baris Salgur, a cleaner from a nearby hotel, recounted the desperate pleas he heard: “They were saying, ‘Please help, we’re burning!’ We were trying to calm them down, but there was nothing we could do.” Salgur described observing a man on the upper floors holding a baby, frantically asking for a mattress to throw the child onto. While they urged him to remain calm, they could only wait for firefighters, unfortunately witnessing the tragedy of the baby succumbing to smoke inhalation before help arrived.
