KARTALKAYA, Turkey — A devastating fire erupted at the Grand Kartal Hotel, a 12-story establishment located in a popular ski area in northwestern Turkey, leaving a tragic aftermath. Friends Esra Karakisa and Halime Cetin witnessed the unfolding disaster, where desperate guests, trapped in smoke-filled rooms, pleaded for assistance. Tragically, some resorted to jumping from the building in their panic.
The blaze, which broke out on Tuesday, resulted in at least 79 fatalities and 51 injuries. Occurring just before the winter break for schools, the hotel was bustling with guests, fully booked for the holidays. Cetin, who works at a nearby hotel, recounted, “There was no one around. They were calling for firefighters. They were breaking windows. Some couldn’t endure the smoke and flames, leading them to leap.”
Karakisa added, “It was horrifying. We were in a panic. The screams, especially from children, were haunting. We wanted to assist but felt utterly helpless.”
In response to the incident, officials have assigned six prosecutors to thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire, which reportedly initiated in the restaurant area on the fourth floor and spread rapidly throughout the structure. As part of the ongoing inquiry, a deputy mayor and the acting fire chief of Bolu were detained, totaling 11 individuals in custody, including the hotel’s owner.
Flags were flown at half-staff across government buildings and Turkish embassies to honor the victims as the nation entered a day of mourning. The Bolu chief prosecutor confirmed the death toll had risen from 76 to 79, with authorities having identified 56 of the deceased so far.
The Health Ministry reported that twelve individuals were receiving treatment in hospitals, one in serious condition. On Wednesday, the country commenced funeral rites for the victims of this tragedy. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a visit to Bolu to pay respects at the funeral of eight members of the Gultekin family, connected to a member of his ruling party. “Our hearts are broken,” Erdogan expressed at the ceremony. “May God grant us patience.”
In Ankara, citizens gathered at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Mosque to mourn Dr. Ahmet Cetiz and his family, who perished in the blaze, as well as to remember 15-year-old skiing enthusiast Eren Bagci, who was vacationing in Kartalkaya.
With 238 guests registered at the hotel, the fire was reported at 3:27 a.m. local time, while emergency services began their response approximately 48 minutes later. Witnesses stated that rescue efforts faced significant obstacles due to the hotel’s precarious cliffside location.
Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy noted that the hotel had undergone inspections in 2021 and 2024, with no issues related to fire safety reported by the fire department. Amidst this despair, Karakisa did her best to help the survivors by providing clothing and water, while others offered support by placing mattresses for those forced to jump or propping ladders against the wall for escape.
Baris Salgur, a cleaner from a neighboring hotel, described the chaotic scene as people screamed for help. “They were shouting, ‘Please help, we’re burning!’ We tried to calm them, but we were powerless to intervene effectively,” he stated. “People jumped from great heights; it was unbearable to witness. There were two women on the top floor as flames engulfed their room, and they had no choice but to leap.”
Salgur also recounted a heartbreaking moment when a man trapped on the upper floors pleaded for a safety mattress for his baby. “We urged him to stay calm. He waited for the fire department, but tragically, the baby succumbed to smoke inhalation,” he recalled.
This incident marks a poignant reminder of the tragedies that can strike suddenly, leaving communities reeling from loss and grief.
