Once again, the death toll in the fire disaster in a Turkish ski hotel had to be adjusted upwards. The government announced on Thursday that 78 people died in Tuesday’s devastating fire. All deaths have now been identified.
Turkey’s Justice Ministry said a foreigner was among the dead, state news agency Anadolu Ajansi reported. Nationality was not mentioned. The fire broke out on Tuesday evening in a hotel with 238 guests in the northwestern province of Bolu. Many could not escape the flames.
Mutual guilt
As anger over the disaster grows on social media, the central government and those responsible in the Bolu community continue to blame each other. The local mayor, Tanju Özcan of the main opposition CHP party, said the Ministry of Tourism was responsible because the hotel was in a tourist area. In turn, Tourism Minister Nuri Ersoy said the municipal fire brigade had approved fire protection measures at the hotel.
Numerous shortcomings have been identified
Opposition-affiliated news agency Anka reported that the Bolu City Fire Department conducted an inspection and test at the Grand Kartal Hotel upon request about a month before the fire. It was discovered that the fire exits, signage and emergency lighting in the building were inadequate. The hotel withdrew its inspection request on December 24 after it was found that instructions on firefighting equipment, detection systems, fire alarms, smoke vents and evacuation were also inadequate.
Nearly a dozen arrests
Eleven people have been arrested so far in connection with the investigation – including the hotel owner, the deputy mayor of Bolu and the deputy fire chief. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Source: Krone
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