Death toll from fire in northern Türkiye ski resort confirmed at 78

By Merve Berker

A fire at a ski resort in northern Türkiye killed at least 78 people, the country’s Justice Ministry confirmed on Thursday.

The identification of all bodies has been completed, said the ministry.

The blaze erupted Tuesday around 3.30 am local time (0030GMT) in the restaurant area of the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel and quickly spread throughout the building, according to Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.

Seventeen of the injured have been discharged from hospital while one remains in intensive care, Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu told reporters.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc previously said that Bolu prosecutors are carrying out a comprehensive investigation, with a team of six prosecutors, along with a five-member expert committee.

The fire, which took over 10 hours to bring under control, prompted the deployment of emergency teams from neighboring cities, including firefighters, disaster response units, and medical personnel supported by helicopters.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences, stressing that the incident is "being thoroughly investigated, and necessary steps will be taken to hold those responsible accountable."

Many world leaders, including European Union officials and ones from neighboring countries, also extended condolences to Türkiye and the victims' families.

Kartalkaya is one of Türkiye’s leading winter tourism destinations, attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season.