In a landmark ruling, the owner of a Turkish ski resort hotel and 10 others have been sentenced to life in prison following the deadliest fire in Turkey’s history. The devastating blaze at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu occurred during school holidays in January, claiming the lives of 78 people, including 34 children. The fire, which erupted in the early hours, forced some residents to leap from the 12-story building to escape the inferno. A total of 137 people were injured in the tragedy.
The hotel owner, Halit Ergül, along with his wife and two daughters, received the maximum penalty after being found guilty of severe negligence. Bolu’s deputy mayor and the local fire chief were also among those sentenced. An investigation revealed critical safety failures, including malfunctioning safety equipment and non-compliant gas installations. Ergül denied responsibility, blaming the gas supplier and the tourism ministry for oversight.
In addition to the life sentences, 18 other defendants, mostly hotel employees, were handed prison terms ranging from 12 to 22 years. Two cooks were acquitted. The Bolu mountains, a popular skiing destination for residents of Istanbul and Ankara, were bustling with tourists at the time of the disaster due to the school holiday season. The tragedy has left a lasting scar on the community, with victims’ families expressing profound grief and loss.