66 killed in Turkey ski resort fire, people seen jumping from building in panic

Ankara (The Uttam Hindu): At least 66 people have died and over 51 others injured in a fire that erupted at a hotel in Turkey's northwestern Bolu province on Tuesday. According to the local authorities, the fire broke out at a hotel in the Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort post midnight on the restaurant floor. Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin stated that fatalities also resulted from individuals jumping from the building in panic.

He mentioned that the cause of the fire, that broke out around 3:30 am local time (0030 GMT), remains unclear and the flames rapidly engulfed the hotel situated at the summit of the Koroglu Mountains. Upon receiving the alert, fire crews, search-and-rescue units and medical teams were dispatched from the city centre, surrounding districts, and nearby areas. Turkey's Anadolu Agency reported that authorities evacuated around 230 guests from the hotel as firefighting efforts continued. "Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said a judicial investigation was initiated by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, with six public prosecutors assigned, and a five-person expert committee formed," the report detailed.

Kartalkaya in the province of Bolu is one of Turkey's premier winter tourism destinations, attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season. The hotel's website mentions it as one of the top destination for Turkish Skiers since 1978. The resort enables direct access to 23 slopes with a total length of 20km belonging to the hotel. Bolu is a city in northern Turkey, and administrative centre of the Bolu Province and of Bolu District, located on the highway between Istanbul and Ankara. Located at the top of the Koroglu Mountains, 38 km from Bolu city centre, 180 km from Ankara and Istanbul, the ski and mountain hotel is spread over an area of 60,000 square metres.