A fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the Turkish ski resort of Bolu has tragically claimed the lives of 10 people and left 32 others injured, as confirmed by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
Reports indicate that at least two victims died after jumping from the hotel’s windows in an attempt to escape.
The fire broke out at 03:27 local time (00:27 GMT) at the 12-storey hotel, which was occupied by 234 people during a busy holiday period.
Disturbing footage from Turkey showed guests using linen tied to windows to flee the burning building.
Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin stated that initial reports suggested the fire began in the restaurant area on the fourth floor and rapidly spread to upper levels. The hotel is investigating whether some guests were trapped as the fire escalated.
Due to the remote location of the hotel in Kartalkaya, combined with freezing weather conditions, it took over an hour for fire engines to arrive. Rescue efforts continued through the morning, with 267 emergency responders deployed to the scene.
By mid-morning, local authorities were still working to reach parts of the hotel.
The Bolu mountains are a popular skiing destination for visitors from Istanbul and Ankara, and the hotel was at full capacity as the two-week school holidays began. The town of Bolu is approximately 170km (105 miles) from Ankara.
Although the fire was confined to one hotel, the governor told Turkish media that a neighbouring hotel was evacuated as a precaution.
Ski instructor Necmi Kepcetutan told Turkish TV he had managed to escape because he knew the hotel, while guests who did not know it as well as him were not as fortunate.
“People were shouting at the windows, ‘Save us,’ because there was intense smoke inside. We pulled 20-25 people out,” he told NTV.
The circumstances that led to the fire are not yet clear.
Justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said prosecutors had been allocated to investigate the blaze.
