Tue Jan 21 13:12:54 UTC 2025: ## Deadly Hotel Fire in Turkey Kills at Least 66
**Ankara, Turkey** – A devastating fire at a 12-story hotel in the popular Kartalkaya ski resort in northwestern Turkey has claimed the lives of at least 66 people, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on Tuesday. The blaze, which broke out around 3:30 a.m. local time in the Grand Kartal hotel’s restaurant, also left at least 51 others injured. The hotel was full due to the school semester break.
Witnesses reported that the hotel’s fire detection system failed, and some guests were forced to jump from the building to escape the rapidly spreading fire, resulting in additional fatalities. The wooden exterior cladding is suspected to have contributed to the blaze’s rapid spread. One guest described scenes of panic, with people screaming and using bedsheets to try and climb down from upper floors. A ski instructor recounted helping evacuate approximately 20 guests but expressed concern for students he hadn’t been able to reach.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged a thorough investigation into the incident, vowing to hold those responsible accountable. Six prosecutors have been appointed to lead the inquiry. The hotel had undergone fire safety inspections in 2021 and 2024, with no reported deficiencies, according to Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. However, accounts from survivors and witnesses contradict this claim, highlighting the failure of the fire detection system.
Emergency services responded with 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances. Other hotels in the resort were evacuated as a precaution. A separate gas explosion at a hotel in a different ski resort in central Turkey injured four people. The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of fire safety regulations and procedures at Turkish tourist facilities.
First Piper 