Turkish officials have detained at least nine people in connection with a deadly fire that claimed the lives of 76 people and injured dozens at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the Kartalkaya Ski Resort in the Bolu Mountains of western Turkey on January 21st, 2025.
The 12-story hotel had 238 registered guests on the night of the fire which was ignited in the hotel’s restaurant around 3:30 a.m. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has confirmed the arrests include the hotel’s owner, manager, and director. Turkey’s judiciary has publicly stated it is committed to punishing all those responsible for the incident and the hotel’s management has pledged full cooperation during the investigation.
“We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of this incident. We are deeply saddened by the losses and want you to know that we share this pain with all our hearts.” –Grand Kartal Hotel statement
The tragic fire has sparked public outcry for accountability and reform as independent experts report the hotel lacked basic fire safety measures. There are reports that no fire alarms went off in the hotel.
This is a developing story and we will be sure to update as more information becomes available.