Turkey mourns victims of fatal Bolu hotel fire as efforts to identify them continue

A day of mourning is underway in Türkiye for the 79 victims of the fire that gutted a popular ski resort hotel in the country’s northwest.

The fire broke out at 3:27 a.m. local time (0027 GMT) at the 12-story, wood-clad Grand Kartal Hotel during a busy holiday period when 234 people were staying there. It took 12 hours to put it out.

An investigation was launched into the incident and conflicting reports emerged about whether the hotel complied with safety standards.

Nine people were arrested, including the hotel owner.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visiting Bolu on Wednesday, said those responsible for the negligence leading to the fire “will be held accountable.”

Flags fly at half-mast across Turkey in memory of the victims of the fire, while the first funerals take place.

The Bolu General Prosecutor’s Office updated the death toll from 76 to 79 on Wednesday after DNA tests.

Authorities said they were assessing all risks, including the possibility of collapse, to the building.

In addition to the deaths, 51 people were injured in the fire, according to Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu. One of them was treated in intensive care and 17 people were released from the hospital. Relatives gathered in front of the hospitals where they are being treated.

One person the BBC spoke to outside the morgue said he had learned seven of his relatives had died and had gone to hospitals looking for their bodies. He later learned that the morgue was empty.

Images circulating showed laundry hanging from windows and used by those trying to escape the burning building. On Wednesday, we could still see them swaying in the wind.

The cause of the fire has not yet been found, but Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin said initial information suggested it broke out in the fourth-floor restaurant section of the hotel and s It was spread to the upper floors.

Aydin said the hotel’s remote location and icy conditions meant it took more than an hour for fire trucks to arrive.

The hotel was last inspected in 2024 and the Tourism Minister said there had been no concerns about the hotel’s fire safety before Tuesday’s disaster.

However, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) said that according to regulations, an automatic fire extinguisher system was required, and photos of the hotel showed that there was none. installed.

He added that it was not clear whether other regulations had been complied with, but based on the survivors’ statements, “it is understood that the detection and warning systems did not work and that the Evacuation routes could not be determined.

Some survivors reported hearing no fire alarms.

The Bolu Mountains are popular with skiers from Istanbul and the Turkish capital Ankara, about 170 km (105 miles) away, and the hotel was operating at full capacity at the start of the two-week school holiday.

Information about those who died in the fire continues to emerge, although some bodies have not yet been identified. At least two people were killed after trying to reach safety.

Many children and young people are among the dead and, in many cases, several members of the same family have been killed.

Turkish Airlines has confirmed that Zehra Sena Gultekin died with her husband, a businessman Bilal Gültekin, and three children. The Boğaziçi Executives Foundation said two of Bilal’s siblings were also killed.

These included Dr. Enes Gültekinwho, according to the Medical Union, died, as well as the dentist from Izmir Dr. Kübra Tonguç Altın and his daughter Alia.

More than 10 members of Gültekin the family is believed to have died in total. President Erdogan and his wife attended the family’s funeral on Wednesday.

Dentist Dr Burak Hasar announced that his colleague of 15 years, Dr. Yasemen Boncuk Tüzgirayher husband Dr Erhan Tuzgiray, and their children Defne And Demir were all dead.

The Turkish Wind Energy Association announced that two executives of one of its members, Inovat Energy Storage Solutions, had been killed. They are the CEO of the company Can Tokcanhis brother Atıl Enis Tokcanand their children Kemal And Atlas Kaan.

Tarsus American College announced the death of its graduates Mert Doganhis wife Duyguand their children Mavi And Doga, as well as the grandson of another graduate Ömür Kotan.

İELEV Schools Association announced the death of students Pelin Gungörhis mother Burcufather Kivanç and brother Kerem.

Hotel staff were also killed, including the chef Eslem Uyanik. Turkish media quoted Süleyman Nazik as saying that his daughter: Esra Nazik, had died and had just started working there.

Prof Dr Atakan Yalçınwho worked at the Faculty of Commerce of Özyeğin University, and his daughter Elif Derinboth are dead.

Nedim Turkmenwriter for the newspaper Sozcu, his wife Ayse Nevaand their two children, 18 years old Ala Dora and 22 years old Yuce Atawere all killed.

TED Istanbul College announced the deaths of students Alican Boduroğlu, his sister Elif Nasas well as their mother Ebru.

Meanwhile, TED Ankara College shared the news of the death of Eren Bağcı on his social media accounts.

Dilara Ermanoğlu24 years old, was also among the victims, and his father, who went looking for him in Bolu, was treated by health workers for a heart attack.

Vedia Nil Apaka 10-year-old swimmer from the Fenerbahce sports club in Istanbul, also died, as did her mother Ferda.

The club management also stated that Ceren Yaman Doganthe wife of the vice-president of his association Bolu, and their 17-year-old daughter Laline, were killed. Ceren was also the daughter of a well-known local businessman.

Mehmet Cem Dogan, the director of the Bolu OYAK cement factory, died, as did his wife Ayşemin Elif and my daughter Ayse Maya.

The Turkish Neurological Association told its member: Dr Ahmet Cetiz, was killed alongside his family.

Başkent University issued a message of condolences following the death of its graduate Muge Suyolcu and his daughter Pera.

The death of the internal doctor Yiğit Gençbaya senior student in the university’s medical department, was also announced.