Photo: Anadolu Agency
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Türkiye has declared a day of national mourning for the lives lost in the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel fire.
"A one-day national mourning has been declared across the country tomorrow. I extend my condolences and wish God's mercy upon our deceased citizens," Erdogan told reporters following a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, The Caspian Post reports, citing Turkish media.
He continued by saying that everyone who's responsible for the tragic incident would be held to account, as he urged everyone to unite in solidarity.
"We expect respect from everyone, including politicians, the media and local administrators, to respect the pain of our citizens," he said.
The fire killed at least 76 people and injured 51 others, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Tuesday.
Of the injured, 17 were discharged from hospital while one remains in intensive care, Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said.
The fire broke out at around 3.30 a.m. local time (0027GMT) in the restaurant area of the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel, quickly engulfing the building, according to Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.
It was brought under control after 10 hours of work by firefighters, authorities told Anadolu, while efforts to cool down the affected areas continue.
Emergency teams from neighboring cities, including firefighters, disaster response units, and medical teams supported by helicopters, were dispatched to the scene.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation into the incident was launched by a team of six prosecutors, along with a five-member expert committee.
Tunc stated that four people, including the owner of the hotel, were detained as part of the investigation. The investigations of the five-member expert committee on the cause of the fire are ongoing, and work is underway to determine the fault.
Share on social media
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Türkiye has declared a day of national mourning for the lives lost in the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel fire.