Bolu, Turkey — A devastating fire at the 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu has claimed the lives of at least 76 people, with dozens more injured.
The blaze broke out at 3:27 am local time (00:27 GMT) during the peak holiday season, with 234 guests at the popular ski resort.
Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, described the incident as a “great pain,” while Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu confirmed 51 injuries, including one person in critical condition.
Heart-wrenching footage captured guests attempting to escape, with some using linens to climb down windows and others tragically losing their lives after jumping from the building.
Among the victims were 10-year-old swimmer Vedia Nil Apak and her mother Ferda, journalist Nedim Turkmen and his family, as well as Prof. Atakan Yalcin, Dean of Ozyegin University.
Preliminary investigations suggest the fire began in the restaurant on the fourth floor before rapidly engulfing the upper levels. Freezing weather and the hotel’s remote location delayed emergency responders, who took over an hour to reach the scene. The fire burned for 12 hours before being completely extinguished.
Authorities have detained nine people, including the hotel’s owner, as investigations into the cause of the fire continue.
By Enoch Odesola| January 22, 2025