The death toll from a devastating fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in northwest Turkey has risen to 66, with 51 others injured, according to a statement by the Turkish Ministry of Interior on Tuesday.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on social media, “The number of victims of the fire that broke out at the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel has increased to 66 deaths and 51 injuries.” He added that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the blaze and to provide necessary support to the injured.
Earlier reports had indicated 10 fatalities and 32 injuries.
The governor of Bolu Province, Abdulaziz Aydın, told Turkey’s national broadcaster that the fire started on the fourth floor of the 11-story hotel at around 3:30 AM local time (12:30 AM GMT). The cause of the fire remains unclear, and authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The tragedy has shocked the nation, with emergency teams working tirelessly to aid the survivors and uncover the factors behind the fire at one of Turkey’s prominent winter tourism destinations.
