Tue Jan 21 13:06:25 UTC 2025: ## Turkey Hotel Fire Kills 66 During School Holiday
**Ankara, Turkey** – A devastating fire at a 12-story hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort, northwestern Turkey, has claimed the lives of 66 people, with 51 others injured, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced. The blaze, which broke out at 3:27 am local time, rapidly engulfed the Grand Kartal hotel, which was reportedly full due to a two-week school holiday.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and desperation, with guests attempting to escape using bedsheets and ropes lowered from windows. Several people reportedly died after jumping from the building to avoid the flames. The fire, believed to have originated in the hotel restaurant, spread quickly, hampered by the hotel’s wooden cladding and proximity to a cliff face.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who cut short a political address to express his condolences, announced the launch of administrative and judicial investigations into the cause of the fire, promising accountability for those responsible. Survivors have alleged a lack of safety measures, including the absence of fire alarms and adequate fire escapes, despite the Tourism Minister claiming the presence of two escapes. Footage shows the hotel’s severely damaged lobby and charred interior.
The death toll includes at least three individuals who perished after jumping from the windows. Approximately 238 guests were registered at the hotel at the time of the fire. Emergency services have contained the blaze, and those evacuated are being housed in other hotels in the area. Six prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the incident.
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