Ministry inspectors probe deadly blaze at Bolu hotel
BOLU
Inspectors from the Labor and Social Security Ministry have carried out an investigation into the deadly fire which killed 78 people at the Grand Kartal Hotel, located at a popular ski resort in the northern province of Bolu.
Accompanied by gendarmerie teams, the inspectors entered the building through the front facade and began their examination of the affected areas to better understand the circumstances of the fire.
The fire, which broke out on the night of Jan. 21, started in the hotel’s kitchen and rapidly spread. Following the incident, a thorough investigation was launched, leading to the arrest of 19 individuals. The investigation is ongoing, with the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office overseeing the process.
One hotel employee, Tuni Burhan, recounted the terrifying moments to a CNN Türk reporter.
Burhan described how a chef from the kitchen urgently knocked on their door in the early hours, alerting them of a fire.
“'There is a small fire. Don't panic but evacuate the room immediately,' the chef said. We left in a hurry. The flames were coming fiercely from the windows of the kitchen. The fire was quite advanced. Around two minutes after we left the building, there was a violent explosion. The fire continued up to the 6th floor.”
The blaze is suspected to have begun in the kitchen due to overheated oil and a blocked chimney. Disturbingly, it has also emerged that hotel management instructed staff not to alert guests or authorities, attempting to manage the situation internally.
Burhan added that the manager said to “Wake up the staff, don't inform anyone, we will put it out ourselves.”