Amid a devastating fire at the Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, Turkey, chaos ensued as guests desperately tried to flee the engulfed building. The tragic incident led to 76 confirmed fatalities, with several others sustaining severe injuries.
Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of people using sheets and blankets to escape from upper floors, while some resorted to jumping from balconies and windows in a bid for survival. Shockingly, two of the deceased individuals had jumped from the building, according to officials.
Reports indicated that the hotel’s fire detection system failed to function, leaving guests unaware of the danger until it was too late. One guest, Atakan Yelkovan, mentioned that he and his wife only realized the severity of the situation after detecting a burning smell, as the alarm did not sound.
The fire, which started in the hotel’s restaurant around 3:30 am on Tuesday, engulfed the premises where 238 individuals were staying. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the tragic incident.
Authorities have detained nine individuals as part of the investigation, including the hotel’s owner. The fire struck during a peak period for tourism in the region, coinciding with the start of a two-week winter break for schools.
As emergency response teams continue to search for victims, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning to honor the lives lost. Flags across government buildings and Turkish diplomatic missions worldwide will be flown at half-staff in remembrance of the victims.
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