11 more detained over fire at Turkish ski resort hotel

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Authorities in Türkiye have detained 11 more people as part of an investigation into a fire at a ski resort hotel in Bolu, northwestern Türkiye, taking the lives of 78 people, officials said Saturday.

Various technical and administrative staff have been detained on top of the 14 previously detained, including nine who were arrested.

The pre-dawn blaze erupted Tuesday in the restaurant area of the Kartalkaya Ski Resort Hotel and quickly spread throughout the building, according to Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.

Forty-four of the injured have been discharged from hospitals, Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu told reporters.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc previously said a comprehensive investigation is being done, with a team of six prosecutors along with a five-member expert committee.

The fire took over 10 hours to bring under control with the help of emergency teams from neighboring cities, including firefighters, disaster response units, and medical personnel supported by helicopters.

Many world leaders, including EU officials and ones from neighboring countries, also extended condolences to Türkiye and the victims' families.

Kartalkaya is one of Türkiye’s leading winter tourism destinations, attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season.