Number of Victims of Hotel Fire at Turkiye's Kartalkaya Ski Resort Reaches 79

BTA correspondent Nora Cholakova, Dimitrina Solakova

AP, Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Yilmaz Saritas and his children Nehir and Doruk, who were among the 76 victims who died in a fire at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Bolu province, at Karsıyaka cemetery in Ankara, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 (Ugur Yildirim/Dia Photo via AP)

Ankara,

22.01.2025 20:14

(BTA)

The number of victims of Monday's hotel fire at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Northwestern Turkiye has reached 79, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of Bolu Province said, as quoted by CNN Turk. In the meantime, the Health Ministry of Turkiye reported that 39 of the 51 injured in the blaze have been discharged from hospitals.

Eleven people have been detained over the fire thus far, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc wrote on X, adding that the investigation continues. Two were arrested on Wednesday: the Deputy Mayor of Bolu and the deputy head of the local firefighting service. Among the previously arrested is the owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel.

Wednesday was a day of mourning in Turkiye. Funerals were held for some of the victims, among whom many children.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the funeral of the family of Zehra Gultekin, an employee of the Turkish Airlines national airline. Eight people were buried: Gultekin, her husband and three children, and several relatives, who did not make it out of the burning hotel. "Our hearts and our souls hurt," he said, tears in his eyes as captured on camera by TRT Haber. He noted that he was friends with the family of Gultekin, daughter of former MP Mehmet Gultekin from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

On Tuesday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that the remains of 45 victims have been handed to their families and relatives.

Due to the tragic events, people's discontent is growing. The strongest criticism thus far has been directed at the Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Bolu Mayor Tanju Ozcan. Representatives of various parties have called on the two to resign.

/DD/