A devastating fire at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkey’s Bolu province claimed 76 lives and injured 51 others early Tuesday morning. Among the victims were entire families, including many children, as reported by Turkish media. The tragedy has prompted the declaration of a national day of mourning in Turkey on Wednesday.
The fire broke out in the resort’s 11-story wooden hotel, which was hosting 238 guests, many of whom had come for winter holidays. Witnesses described harrowing scenes as guests trapped in smoke-filled rooms screamed for help. Some jumped from windows to escape the flames, landing on mattresses placed below.
In one heart-wrenching case, a woman called her mother to say goodbye before succumbing to the fire alongside her husband, three children, and nine other family members. Another family lost seven members, including grandchildren.
Firefighters battled the blaze for 10 hours, struggling with the hotel’s steep location and poor fire safety measures. Witnesses and survivors reported the absence of working fire alarms, extinguishers, and accessible emergency exits.
Authorities have launched an investigation and detained nine individuals, including the hotel owner. The fire reportedly began in the hotel’s restaurant and rapidly engulfed the building.