Tourexpi
Death toll from fire in northern Türkiye ski resort rises to 76
A
fire at a ski resort in northern Türkiye killed at least 76 people and injured
51 others, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Tuesday.
Of
the injured, 17 were discharged from hospital while one remains in intensive
care, Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said.
The
fire broke out at around 3.30 a.m. local time (0027GMT) in the restaurant area
of the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel, quickly engulfing the building, according
to Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.
It
was brought under control after 10 hours of work by firefighters, authorities
told Anadolu, while efforts to cool down the affected areas continue.
Emergency
teams from neighboring cities, including firefighters, disaster response units,
and medical teams supported by helicopters, were dispatched to the scene.
Justice
Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation into the incident was launched by a
team of six prosecutors, along with a five-member expert committee.
Tunc
stated that four people, including the owner of the hotel, were detained as
part of the investigation. The investigations of the five-member expert
committee on the cause of the fire are ongoing, and work is underway to
determine the fault.
Interior
Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that a total of nine people were detained as part
of the ongoing investigation.
Culture
and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, speaking at a press conference, said
the necessary documentation and checks were in place against a fire hazard.
“The hotel has a certificate of fire safety issued by the fire department. This
is already a mandate of the fire brigade. Regular checks have to be carried out
by the fire brigade,” he added.
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on X that he was keeping a close eye on
events, and noted: "I wish Allah's mercy to our citizens who lost their
lives ... and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded.”
Later,
speaking at a meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in
Ankara, Erdogan said: "All necessary steps will and are being taken to
clarify all aspects of the incident and hold those responsible to
account."
Turkish
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in a message on X, extended his condolences to
the families of those who lost their lives, and wished a speedy recovery to
those injured.
Kartalkaya
in Bolu is one of Türkiye's premier winter tourism destinations, attracting
thousands of visitors during the ski season. The resort lies around 295
kilometers (183 miles) east of Istanbul.
Image
Credit: © AA
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