Tragic Blaze at Turkish Ski Resort Hotel Claims 66 Lives

A devastating fire at the Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, a ski resort in northwestern Turkey, resulted in 66 fatalities, with 51 others injured. Eyewitness reports indicate the hotel’s fire detection system failed. An investigation into the cause, suspecting the building's wooden cladding, is underway.

A devastating fire erupted at the Grand Kartal hotel, located in the Kartalkaya ski resort, resulting in the tragic deaths of 66 individuals, according to Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. The incident, which left 51 others injured, has plunged the nation into mourning.

Eyewitness accounts reveal that the hotel's fire detection system failed to warn guests, leading to a chaotic evacuation. Some victims jumped from windows in desperation, while others used makeshift ropes made from sheets, reported Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.

An investigation, led by six appointed prosecutors, is focusing on the hotel's chalet-style wooden cladding, which may have accelerated the spread of the flames. Meanwhile, a separate gas explosion at another ski resort in central Turkey injured four people, further highlighting safety concerns in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)