Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning for January 22 following the death of dozens of people in a fire that broke out in the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey’s Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu Province
According to the Turkish leader, those who caused such a disaster in any way, those who have negligence and fault will be held accountable before the law, Anadolu reported.
Erdogan said that 17 of the wounded have been discharged and the treatment of the other wounded, one of whom is in intensive care, continues.
Earlier, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said as many as 76 people died at a popular ski resort.
"According to the latest data, as many as 76 people died. 52 of them have been identified and 45 bodies have been handed over to relatives. Nine people have been detained in the course of the probe," Yerlikaya said.
The fire broke out at in the 12-storey wooden hotel, which was accommodating 238 guests during the busy holiday season.
The fire broke out at 3:27 a.m. local time (0:27 a.m. GMT) on January 21, and its cause is yet to be established. Initial investigations suggest the fire started in the fourth-floor restaurant area before spreading upwards.
Vestnik Kavkaza expresses its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.
