ANKARA, Turkey — A waitress has tragically lost her life after sustaining serious injuries from jumping out of a burning hotel at a well-known ski destination. This incident has deeply unsettled the nation and reignited worries about insufficient safety measures in Turkey. Reports indicate that the woman, identified as 25-year-old Sevval Sahin, passed away late Wednesday in an intensive care unit, marking her as the 78th confirmed fatality from the fire that engulfed the 12-story Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, located in northwestern Bolu province. The initial death toll reported was 79. In addition to those who died, numerous others were hospitalized with injuries resulting from the blaze.
In response to this disastrous event, the Turkish government has assigned a team of six prosecutors to investigate the cause of the fire, which erupted during a busy period coinciding with a two-week winter recess for schools. This time of year typically sees hotels in the region at full capacity. Authorities have detained 11 individuals for questioning, including the hotel owner, Bolu’s deputy mayor, and the acting chief of the fire department, although no formal charges have yet been made.
Amidst rising tensions, the government helmed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is exchanging accusations with the Bolu municipality, which falls under the jurisdiction of Turkey’s main opposition party. Initial reports suggest that the fire ignited in the restaurant area on the fourth floor of the hotel, quickly spreading to upper levels. To escape the smoke and flames, guests and staff were forced to jump from windows or lower themselves using sheets.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has indicated that the hotel had been subject to inspections in both 2021 and 2014 and possessed a fire safety certificate. Conversely, Bolu Mayor Tanju Ozcan stated that hotels in Kartalkaya are not under the jurisdiction of his municipality, alleging that the hotel’s last fire safety certificate was from 2007. Eyewitness accounts raise significant concerns, revealing that the fire detection system failed to operate, the hotel lacked sprinkler systems, and guests struggled to identify the building’s two fire escapes in the smoke-laden corridors. Reports from various media outlets also suggest that the design of the fire escapes may have inadvertently allowed the fire to spread even further.
Witnesses noted a delay in emergency services, with firefighters arriving about 45 minutes after the blaze was first reported. Survivors like vacationer Hulya Karadag shared their harrowing experiences, stating, “If there was a fire escape, there’s no way we’d be able to find it.” Karadag, who managed to escape through a window, lamented the absence of a functioning fire alarm, stating, “If there was a fire alarm and we had been notified in advance, people would have acted more cautiously.” Her description of the frantic scenes in the hotel’s corridors painted a picture of chaos and despair, with individuals colliding into each other as they sought safety.
As the community continues to mourn, funerals for the victims are ongoing. In Ankara, a poignant farewell was held for 12-year-old Ayse Maya Dogan and her parents, Aysemin Elif Dogan and Mehmet Cem Dogan. Classmates and teachers left poignant notes on the girl’s coffin, expressing profound grief and love, assuring that she would remain forever in their memories.
Esra Nazik, a 25-year-old cook and Sahin’s roommate, was also laid to rest in her hometown of Konya. Reports from local media indicate that like Sahin, Nazik met her demise after jumping out of the building to escape the fire. The circumstances surrounding Sahin’s decision to leap out of the 12th-floor window have been revealed, showing that she called her father for guidance before making a desperate choice to escape the inferno, despite her father’s advice against jumping. As her cousin recounted, she ultimately chose to jump when she could no longer endure the smoke and heat.
