A fire in Turkey has claimed the lives of 76 people. It is not yet known whether Luxembourgers were among them
Joshua Newton, Unsplash
A fire broke out at 3:30 early Tuesday morning in the restaurant of the 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel, located in the Kartalkaya ski area in Bolu province. The place is one of the most popular winter resorts in northwestern Turkey, where thousands of tourists come every year to enjoy the snowy slopes and first-class service. However, instead of a holiday, the day turned into a horror for hundreds of people.
According to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, at least 76 people became victims of the tragedy. Another 51 people suffered injuries of varying degrees of severity, among them both hotel visitors and employees. Health Minister Kemal Memishoglu said that one of the victims is in critical condition, fighting for life.
At the time of this news release, the causes of the fire remain unclear. An investigation is underway, but it is known that the origin of the fire was in the hotel restaurant. This suggests possible problems with equipment, gas lines or violations of fire protection standards. Experts emphasise that fires in such places can spread quickly due to the use of wood in the interior and the presence of many textiles.
The incident has once again raised the question of fire safety standards in Turkish tourist facilities. While resorts like Kartalkay usually endeavour to meet international standards, tragedies of this magnitude raise troubling questions about the reliability of inspections and the state of fire protection systems.
The Kartalkaya fire was one of the biggest disasters in Turkey's tourism sector in recent years. Its consequences go far beyond material losses: the tragedy shocked both the local population and the international community, reminding them of the fragility of human life in the face of unpredictable disasters.
Local authorities have already expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, promising to take measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The resort may be closed for inspection and modernisation of security systems.
