Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at a hotel in the ski resort of Kartalkaya in Bolu province, Turkey, January 21, 2025. [Photo/Agencies]
ANKARA -- A fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the northwestern Turkish ski resort in Kartalkaya, Bolu Province, early Tuesday killed 66 people and injured 51, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
The fire broke out at 3:27 am local time (0027 GMT) in the 12-story hotel, which was hosting more than 230 guests during a busy holiday period.
"Firefighting teams had to approach from the sides and front of the building due to the terrain," Yerlikaya told a press briefing at the scene. He added that authorities had detained four individuals following the fire.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has vowed that those responsible for the fire would be held accountable.
Initial investigations suggest the fire started in the fourth-floor restaurant area before spreading upwards, according to Bolu Provincial Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.
Footage circulating on social media showed what appeared to be guests using bed linen to escape from windows.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said one of the injured remains in critical condition, while the others are expected to be discharged soon. "Medical teams are providing the necessary support, and we are closely monitoring the situation," he said.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the hotel underwent fire safety inspections in both 2021 and 2024 and had all necessary certifications.
Kartalkaya is a popular ski resort in the Koroglu mountains, some 300 kilometers east of Istanbul.
