A massive fire tore through a ski resort hotel in northwestern Türkiye early on Tuesday, leaving 66 dead and 51 injured, Al Jazeera reported.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya addressed the country from the site, saying he was grieved over the significant loss of life. “We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel,” Yerlikaya said.
Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu noted that one of the injured remains in critical condition.
The blaze started on the fourth floor of the 11-story hotel, Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin reported. The floor housed the restaurant, where the fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. local time. Despite hours of firefighting efforts, flames continued to ravage the structure well into the morning.
Tragically two victims died after jumping from upper floors in an attempt to escape, Governor Aydin told Anadolu news agency. At the time, 234 guests occupied the hotel, many of whom managed to flee the fire.
Witnesses reported a failure in the hotel’s fire detection system. “My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,” said Atakan Yelkovan, a guest on the third floor. “We tried to go upstairs but couldn’t because of the flames. We ran downstairs and got out.”
Images shared by private station “NTV” showed the building’s top floors engulfed in flames. Wooden cladding on the exterior appeared to fuel the rapid spread of the fire. The hotel’s cliffside location complicated efforts to combat the blaze, according to reports.
In response, authorities launched an immediate investigation. Four individuals, including the hotel’s owner, are in custody, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc announced. Six prosecutors and a team of experts are working to uncover the cause of the fire and any potential negligence.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged accountability in a statement from Ankara. “All necessary steps will be taken to shed light on all aspects of the incident and to hold those responsible accountable,” Erdogan said.