At least 10 dead after fire at ski resort hotel and guests escape using sheets
Two people died jumping from a cliff-top hotel engulfed in flames in Turkey in the early hours of this morning.
A fire broke out at the Grand Kartal Otel in the snow-covered ski resort of Kartalkaya, in the northwestern Bolu province, around 3.27am on Tuesday.
The fire killed at least 10 people and injured 32, two of whom are in serious condition, according to Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
He said: ‘I wish God’s mercy upon our citizens who lost their lives and a speedy recovery to our injured.’
At least 234 guests were staying in the 12-storey wooden hotel at the time.
Some used bed sheets to climb down from windows while others are feared trapped inside.
Firefighters are checking each room for survivors.
The exact cause is under investigation, but the fire is believed to have started in the hotel’s restaurant, according to Governor Abdulaziz Aydın.
It then quickly spread through the 12-storey wooden building, which was nearly full due to the school holidays, which run until February.
By daylight, flames and smoke were still bursting through the roof and lower storey windows even after 30 fire engines arrived.
The mountainous region, famed for its forests and lakes, is one of Turkey’s top destinations for winter holidays.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: ‘I would like to convey my wishes for a speedy recovery to all my brothers and sisters and to Bolu who were affected by this tragic incident.’
Announcing an investigation, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said: ‘The fire that broke out in a hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya has deeply saddened us all.
‘A judicial investigation has been launched by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding the fire, and 6 public prosecutors have been assigned.
‘In addition, a 5-person expert committee has been formed. The investigation is being carried out meticulously.’
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