Death Fire Tragedy Kills 76 People, Turkish Ski Resort Hotel Owner Arrested

ILLUSTRATION OF UNSPLASH/Robert Darkness

Turkey has detained nine people, including hotel owners, in connection with a deadly fire that claimed the lives of 76 people and injured dozens of people at a ski resort in western Turkey.

Minister of Home Affairs Ali Yerlikaya explained that the bodies of 45 victims had been handed over to his family. Meanwhile, DNA tests are being carried out to identify the remains of the bodies at the forensic institution.

A fire broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu mountains.

The hotel where the fire broke out, expressed deep sorrow in a statement on Wednesday, January 22 while pledging full cooperation in the investigation.

"We are working with the authorities to explain all aspects of this incident," the statement said.

"We are very saddened by this loss and want you to know that we share this pain wholeheartedly," hotel management added

The 12-story hotel, which has 238 registered guests, was engulfed in flames after a fire broke out on the restaurant floor on Tuesday, January 21 at around 03.30 local time.

Survivors described the panic incident as they fled through a smoke-filled corridor and jumped out the window to escape.

Authorities face growing criticism of hotel security measures, as survivors report no fire alarms sound during the incident. Guests said they had to pass through a smoke-filled corridor in total darkness.

President Tayyip Erdogan declared Wednesday a day of national mourning following the tragedy.

This incident occurred during the peak of the winter tourism season, with many families from Istanbul and Ankara traveling to the Bolu mountains to ski.