Deadly Fire at Ski Resort Hotel in Turkey Kills 10, Injures 32

At least 10 people have died and 32 were hospitalized after a deadly fire broke out at a hotel in the popular northwestern Turkish ski resort of Kartalkaya on Tuesday, officials said. The blaze, which was reported to have been sparked overnight in the restaurant of the hotel, started in the Bolu province.
Panic and Efforts to Escape Amid Scorching of Hotel
Flames were spreading fast when panic broke among guests. Two tragically died while jumping from the building in order to escape. Governor Abdulaziz Aydin has confirmed casualties while private TV channels report that several guests tried climbing down using bed sheets.
A tragic fire at a hotel in Turkey's Kartalkaya ski resort has killed 10 people and injured 32. The blaze broke out overnight, causing panic and evacuations. Our thoughts are with those affected. #TurkeyFire #Kartalkaya #SkiResortFire #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/8zNGWXEQJq
— The Vocal News (@thevocalnews) January 21, 2025
At the time, there were 234 guests in the hotel. According to the ski instructor Necmi Kepcetutan, it was all very confusing, with a lot of smoke scattered through the rooms, making it quite hard for the guests to find the fire escape. Kepcetutan managed to get about 20 guests out of the building but could not get hold of some of his students.
Fire Spreads Rapidly, Evacuations Ongoing
Television footage had shown the entire roof and upper floors of the hotel engulfed in flames. As of now, the cause for the fire cannot be determined. However, some people speculated that the wooden cladding on the exterior of the hotel might have fueled the quick spread of the fire.
The resort is based in the mountains of Koroglu, the most popular ski resort and currently crowded due to the school semester break. Therefore, the inferno forced the evacuation of other nearby hotels as preventive measures.
Emergency Response towards the Disaster
There have been reports that 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances were mobilized to the scene to assist in rescue efforts. Authorities are investigating the cause of the devastating fire as the regional tourism sector, as well as the local community, are shaken by the tragedy.
The disaster raises questions about fire safety in ski resorts particularly during peak tourist seasons.