Tue Jan 21 13:35:04 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 more injured. The blaze, which broke out at 3:27 am local time, engulfed the Grand Kartal hotel, a popular destination currently experiencing high occupancy due to a two-week school holiday.
Witnesses reported hearing screams and seeing guests desperately 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 rapidly, exacerbated by the wooden cladding on the building and its proximity to a cliff, hindering firefighting efforts.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the death toll and stated that the fire has now been contained. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who cut short a party address to acknowledge the tragedy, announced the launch of administrative and judicial investigations into the cause of the fire, vowing to hold those responsible accountable.
Survivors have raised concerns about a lack of safety measures, including the absence of functioning fire alarms and adequate fire escapes, despite Tourism Minister Nuri Ersoy’s claim that the hotel had two fire escapes. Footage shows the hotel’s severely damaged interior and the charred remains of furniture. Authorities have warned of the risk of further collapse. Six prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the incident, and those evacuated have been relocated to other hotels in the area. The approximately 238 registered guests were in the hotel during the peak season.
First Piper 