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A devastating fire tore through the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel at Kartalkaya Ski Resort in Turkey on Tuesday, turning a winter holiday getaway into a nightmare. At least 66 people have been confirmed dead, with 51 others injured, in what is now one of the deadliest disasters to hit a ski resort in recent history.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but authorities have launched a full investigation, detaining four individuals, including the hotel’s owner. Six prosecutors have been assigned to examine the circumstances surrounding the blaze, which has left the Turkish ski community in shock and mourning.
The fire erupted before dawn, engulfing the Grand Kartal Hotel, located 180 miles east of Istanbul, in flames and thick smoke. The resort was packed with vacationers, as the tragedy struck during Turkey’s winter holiday, a peak season for family ski trips.
With an estimated 230 guests in the hotel at the time, the chaos of the fire was compounded by reports of missing fire alarms and unclear emergency exits. Survivors have described desperate escapes through smoke-filled hallways, jumping from windows, and searching blindly for exits.
“The smoke was so intense that we could hardly breathe,” said Eylem Senturk, a guest at the hotel who managed to flee with her daughter. But her husband was unable to escape through the stairwell and had to jump from a window onto a lower rooftop before leaping onto a car to reach safety.
“We didn’t hear any fire alarms,” she told Turkish media. “We only realized the hotel was burning when we heard people screaming in the hallway.”
The fire at Kartalkaya is a harrowing reminder of the importance of fire safety at ski resorts, where hotels often reach full capacity during peak winter seasons. As the investigation unfolds, questions are being raised about fire regulations, evacuation procedures, and emergency preparedness at ski destinations worldwide.
Our deepest condolences go out to the families and friends of those lost in this tragic event.
Source: NYT
