At least 76 people have died in a devastating fire that broke out at the , a popular ski resort in Bolu, Turkey. The blaze occurred at 03:27 local time (00:27 GMT) in the early hours of the morning, while 234 guests were staying at the 12-storey hotel during a busy holiday season. Some of the victims were forced to jump from windows in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.

Initially reported as 10 fatalities, the death toll rose significantly over the course of the day, with Turkey’s Interior Ministry confirming that at least two individuals died while trying to leap to safety. The fire was finally extinguished after 12 hours, and authorities have arrested nine people, including the hotel owner, according to the country’s justice minister.

The identities of the victims are still being verified, but among the confirmed dead are Vedia Nil Apak, a 10-year-old swimmer from Fenerbahce Sports Club in Istanbul, and her mother, Ferda. The club expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy in an Instagram post. Other known victims include Eslem Uyanik, a hotel chef; Ceren Yaman Dogan, a local businesswoman’s daughter; and her 17-year-old daughter Lalin. Additionally, Nedim Turkmen, a writer for Sozcu newspaper, and his family perished in the blaze, as did Prof. Atakan Yalcin, dean of Ozyegin University Business School. Dilara Ermanoglu, 24, was also among the deceased, with her father suffering a heart attack while searching for her.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu confirmed that of the 51 people injured, one is in intensive care, while 17 have been discharged. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya expressed the country’s deep sorrow, stating, “Our pain is great.”

Eyewitnesses reported that guests attempted to escape by using linen to climb out of windows. Ski instructor Necmi Kepcetutan, who was on the second floor when the fire started, managed to escape via the ski room and later assisted with rescue efforts. Kepcetutan also noted that the hotel’s owners were present during the fire and were seen outside the building afterward.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin indicated that the fire likely started in the restaurant section of the fourth floor before spreading to other levels. The remote location of the hotel and freezing temperatures delayed the arrival of fire trucks by more than an hour. A total of 267 emergency responders were dispatched to the scene.

The hotel had two fire exits, and reports suggest that a hotel worker managed to rescue around 30 to 35 people. Turkey’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed that prosecutors are investigating the incident. The hotel was last inspected in 2024, and the country’s tourism minister stated that there were no previous concerns regarding fire safety.

However, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) raised concerns about the hotel’s safety features, noting that the building lacked an automatic fire suppression system, which should have been installed in 2008. Survivors reported that the detection and warning systems appeared to be malfunctioning, and escape routes were unclear.

The Bolu region, a popular ski destination for tourists from Istanbul and Ankara, had a high occupancy rate due to the ongoing two-week school holidays. The tragic fire has sent shockwaves through the community, with former UK Ambassador to Turkey Sir Peter Westmacott describing the incident as “devastating” and deeply personal for those who care about the country.