Türkiye’s Interior Minister, Ali Yerlikaya announced early on Wednesday that nine people, including the hotel’s owner, had been arrested in connection with a fatal fire at a ski resort in western Türkiye that killed 76 people and injured dozens more.
According to Yerlikaya, 45 victims’ bodies had been given to their relatives, and the forensic institute was using DNA testing to identify the other fatalities.
The hotel expressed deep sorrow in a statement on Wednesday and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.
“We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of the incident,” the statement said.
“We are deeply saddened by the losses and want you to know we share this pain with all our hearts.”
The 12-storey hotel, which had 238 registered guests, was consumed by flames after the fire started on the restaurant floor at about 3.30am. Survivors described scenes of panic as they fled through smoke-filled corridors and jumped from windows to escape.
As survivors stated that no fire alarms went off during the event, authorities are coming under increasing fire for the hotel’s safety protocols. Visitors reported having to make their way through the smoke-filled hallways in total darkness.
Following the tragedy, which happened during the busiest time of year for winter tourism, when many families from Istanbul and Ankara travelled to the Bolu mountains to ski, President Tayyip Erdogan proclaimed Wednesday to be a day of national sorrow.
In an effort to determine the cause of the fire, the government assigned six prosecutors. The fire is thought to have originated in the hotel’s restaurant area.
Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told reporters that the hotel underwent inspections in 2021 and 2024, and that the fire agency indicated “no negative situation regarding fire competence”.
