At least 66 people died and dozens of others were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in the early hours of January 21 at a hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort, in the northwestern province of Bolu in Turkey.
The fire reportedly started in the hotel's restaurant and spread throughout the 12-story building due to the wooden cladding on its exterior. The cause remains unknown, according to Hurriyet.
The incident occurred at around 3:30 a.m., a time when most residents were sleeping, making the situation even more difficult, Turkish media reported. The hotel was home to 234 guests, according to the regional governor, Abdulaziz Aydin.
Mobile phone videos captured harrowing scenes, with visitors tying sheets to climb out of windows, while others screamed for help. Two of the victims died after jumping from the building in panic, the governor said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was informed of the incident and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
"I pray for God's mercy on our citizens who lost their lives in the fire that broke out in a hotel in Kartalkaya and I wish a speedy recovery to our injured. I convey my best wishes to all my brothers who were affected by this tragic incident, which we have been closely following through our competent bodies from the very beginning and investigations have been launched immediately," the Turkish president said.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced the launch of an investigation into the fire, appointing six prosecutors and a team of five experts.
Source: protothema.gr