Official announcements from Turkish government or relevant authorities

76 Dead in Fire at Turkish Ski Resort; Nine Arrested

Jan 22, 2025, 06:36 AM

A fire at the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey's Kartalkaya Ski Resort has claimed at least 76 lives and injured 51 others. The blaze broke out around 3:27 AM on January 21, 2025, starting in the hotel's restaurant on the fourth floor and quickly engulfing the wooden interiors of the building. Guests, many of whom were families on winter holidays, were forced to jump from windows or use bedsheets to escape, as some reported that fire alarms did not sound and external fire escapes were absent. Witnesses also stated that the fire department took over an hour to arrive. The fire took approximately 10 hours to bring under control. Turkish authorities have arrested nine people, including the hotel owner and staff, in connection with the incident. Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the hotel had fire safety certificates and two fire escapes, though both were internal. A national day of mourning was declared, with flags lowered to half-mast across the country. Among the victims was Turkish Airlines employee Zehra Sena Gültekin, who perished along with 14 members of her family.