Tragic Blaze Claims Lives of Olympic Skier and Father in Turkiye

A fire at a closed ski resort hotel in northwest Turkiye claimed the lives of Olympic skier Berkin Usta and his father Yahya. The Kervansaray Hotel was closed and without guests at the time. Investigations are underway following similar recent incidents at other Turkish ski resorts.

A tragic fire at a shuttered ski resort hotel in northwest Turkiye resulted in the deaths of Olympic athlete Berkin Usta and his father, Yahya Usta, on Thursday. The hotel, located in the popular skiing destination of Uludag in Bursa province, was void of guests when the incident occurred early morning.

Authorities reported that the fire started in the hotel cafeteria and quickly engulfed the upper floors before firefighters could control it. Yahya Usta was the president of the Turkish Ski and Snowboard Teachers Association, and his son represented Turkiye at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Both were staying on the hotel's fifth floor with family.

This incident follows another deadly blaze at a separate Turkish winter resort in January, which resulted in 79 deaths. An investigation into the Bursa fire has begun, while fresh arrests have been made in connection to the previous incident. These events have sparked concerns about fire safety in Turkish ski hotels.

(With inputs from agencies.)