At least 76 dead in Turkish Ski Resort hotel fire

A tragic fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey’s Kartalkaya Ski Resort has claimed the lives of at least 76 people, with 51 others injured. The fire broke out on Tuesday in the Bolu mountains of northwestern Turkey.

Turkey’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya, confirmed the death toll during a press conference, expressing deep sorrow over the incident. He stated that 45 of the victims have been identified, and efforts are ongoing to identify the remaining bodies.

The fire reportedly caused many fatalities due to suffocation, as most victims were unable to escape the blaze in the 12-story building. At the time of the fire, 238 guests were registered at the hotel.

An investigation has led to the detention of nine individuals. The hotel had not previously been flagged for fire safety deficiencies, Yerlikaya noted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced an administrative and criminal investigation to determine the cause of the fire and hold those responsible accountable. Erdoğan also declared a day of national mourning to honor the victims on Wednesday.

Efforts to extinguish the fire involved multiple firefighting teams, and images from the scene showed significant damage to the hotel. Authorities are working to uncover all aspects of the incident.

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