The owner of a Turkish ski hotel and ten others have been sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the country’s deadliest fire, which claimed 78 lives, including 34 children.
The blaze erupted in January at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the mountain resort of Kartalkaya, Bolu province, during the school holidays. The fire swept rapidly through the 12-storey building in the early hours, trapping guests and staff as smoke and flames engulfed the structure.
According to investigators, 137 others were injured as desperate residents tried to escape, with some leaping from upper floors to avoid the inferno. The tragedy sent shockwaves across Turkey, prompting widespread calls for tighter fire safety measures in hotels and public buildings.
Hotel owner Halit Ergül, his wife, and two daughters received the maximum penalty for “severe negligence leading to multiple deaths.” They were sentenced alongside Bolu’s deputy mayor and the local fire chief, who were found guilty of failing to enforce safety regulations.
An inquiry revealed that the fire began in the hotel’s restaurant and spread quickly due to faulty gas systems and malfunctioning safety equipment. Investigators found that several alarms and sprinklers did not function at the time of the fire, while some gas installations failed to meet safety standards.
“If I had foreseen the risk, I would have closed the hotel myself,” Ergül told the court, denying responsibility. He claimed that the hotel underwent regular inspections and blamed the gas supplier and tourism ministry for inadequate oversight.
The trial, held in a specially constructed courtroom at a local school, saw 32 people charged in connection with the disaster. Eighteen others—mostly hotel employees—received sentences ranging from 12 to 22 years in prison, while a few, including two cooks, were acquitted.
One of the victims’ relatives, Hilmi Altin, who lost his wife and nine-year-old daughter, said the verdict brought little comfort. “I go to the cemetery each day. No psychologist can ease such a pain,” he told AFP.
The Bolu mountains, located about 170 kilometers from Ankara and Istanbul, are a popular winter destination. The Grand Kartal Hotel was operating at near-full capacity during the school break when the tragedy struck.
Authorities have since pledged to strengthen safety inspections and update regulations for tourist facilities to prevent similar disasters in the future.