Police has arrested four people in connection with a devastating fire at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey on early Tuesday that claimed the lives of at least 76 people and injured 51 others.
Among those detained is the owner of the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel, located in the popular Kartalkaya resort area. Turkish Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç confirmed the arrests in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The fire broke out at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time at the hotel, situated in Bolu province’s Köroğlu Mountains, according to local authorities cited by the Associated Press. Investigation into the tragedy is ongoing as officials work to determine the cause of the blaze.
Witnesses described the harrowing moments as people leapt from windows to save themselves. “I saw a father with his baby in his arms asking for pillows so he could throw down his son,” a hotel employee told the news agency IHA, as reported by CBS 19. “Luckily he waited for the emergency services who saved them.” Tragically, two women on the top floor, which was occupied by students, jumped from the building and died, the employee added.
Survivors recounted the chaos and lack of warning. “My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,” Atakan Yelkovan, a guest at the hotel, told IHA. “We tried to go upstairs but couldn’t, there were flames. We went downstairs and came [outside]. People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets … Some tried to jump.”
Turkish officials revealed that the fire broke out in the hotel’s restaurant area and spread rapidly, though the exact cause remains under investigation. Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin noted that the hotel’s remote location and freezing weather delayed the arrival of firefighters. Nearly 270 emergency personnel responded to the scene.
The tragedy prompted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to declare a national day of mourning on Wednesday. “Every stage of the investigation is carried out with great care and sensitivity,” Justice Minister Tunç assured the public. President Erdoğan also vowed that those responsible would be held accountable.
The U.S. Consulate in Istanbul expressed its condolences but has not confirmed whether any U.S. citizens were among the victims.
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