Fire at Turkish Ski Resort Hotel Kills 66, Many Children Among Victims

Fire at Turkish Ski Resort Hotel Kills 66, Many Children Among Victims

A fire engulfed a ski resort hotel in Kartalkaya, Bolu province, northwestern Turkey, early Tuesday morning, leaving at least 66 people dead and 51 injured, many of them children. Some victims were identified as fifth graders, aged 10 to 11 years old, with schools and businesses mourning the loss.

The 12-story hotel, built on a cliff, presented challenges for emergency responders. The fire began at 3:27 a.m., and rescue teams arrived at 4:15 a.m., nearly an hour later. Eyewitnesses reported that fire alarms failed to activate, forcing guests to leap from windows or use makeshift ropes made from bed sheets to escape. Videos shared online showed flames engulfing the upper floors and thick smoke surrounding the building.

The hotel had 234 guests at the time, with many visiting during the winter school holidays. Governor Abdulaziz Aydin confirmed two victims died from jumping in panic. Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed profound sorrow, while Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced an investigation, resulting in four arrests.

Eyewitness accounts highlighted inadequate fire safety measures, delayed emergency response, and chaos as people scrambled to escape. One guest, Atakan Yelkovan, recounted his wife smelling the fire before they encountered flames blocking their path.

Emergency teams evacuated nearby hotels as a precaution, housing survivors in surrounding accommodations. A total of 30 fire trucks, 28 ambulances, and 267 emergency personnel were deployed to the scene.