A Turkish court has delivered life sentences to the owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel and ten others following their conviction for severe negligence in a catastrophic fire that claimed 78 lives and injured 133 others. The tragic incident occurred on January 21 at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Bolu province during the winter school break, with 34 children among the victims. The court found hotel owner Halit Ergul, his family members, hotel managers, a deputy mayor, and a deputy fire chief guilty of ‘probable intent to kill’ due to their failure to ensure safety measures. In addition to life imprisonment for the deaths of the children, the defendants received an additional 25 years for the other fatalities. The defendants, who denied responsibility, are expected to appeal the verdict. The courtroom erupted in applause as families of the victims welcomed the sentencing. The fire, which began at 3:17 a.m. due to a spark from an electric grill, quickly spread due to poor safety measures, including a lack of smoke extraction systems, faulty alarms, and inadequate staff training. The disaster has sparked nationwide calls for accountability and stricter enforcement of safety regulations.
Turkish court sentences hotel owner and 10 others to life for deadly fire that killed 78
