The owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel, Halit Ergül, was detained in connection with the fire that broke out at the hotel located at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Bolu on the night from Monday to Tuesday.
As a result of the tragedy, 78 people died, including 36 minors. The building suffered significant damage, and it has been sealed off, with the possibility of either reinforcing or demolishing it, according to Hürriyet newspaper.
As part of the investigation, 14 people were arrested. The hotel had blocked access to fire escapes, and the fire suppression system was absent, which contributed to the high death toll, said emergency expert Hadji Latif Ishchan.
However, Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the hotel had been regularly inspected, and no violations had been found by fire services. On Wednesday, a national day of mourning was declared in the country for the victims.
