A blaze at a hotel in a renowned skiing destination in Turkey has resulted in the fatalities of at least 66 individuals, as reported by the nation’s interior minister.
Ali Yerlikaya further stated that a minimum of 51 additional individuals suffered injuries in the fire that occurred at the Grand Kartal hotel, located in the Koroglu mountains of Bolu province in northwestern Turkey, approximately 185 miles (300 km) east of Istanbul.
The health minister indicated that at least one of the injured is in critical condition, while 17 others have already been discharged from medical care after receiving treatment.
Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
“We are experiencing profound grief. Unfortunately, we have lost 66 lives in the fire that erupted at this hotel,” Mr. Yerlikaya expressed.
The inferno ignited around 3:30 AM in the dining area of the 12-story establishment, officials indicated.
Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin informed the state-run Anadolu Agency that there were 234 guests present at the hotel at the time.
In a desperate bid to escape the raging flames, some individuals leapt from windows in sheer panic.
Multiple fire trucks surrounded the scorched structure, and visible from an upper-floor window were white bed sheets tied together, utilized by guests attempting to make their escape.
An investigation into the origin of the fire is currently underway.
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