Azerbaijani president expresses condolences to Turkish counterpart over deadly hotel fire

On January 23, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan held a telephone conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Türkiye.

President Aliyev extended his heartfelt condolences regarding the tragic fire at a hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in Bolu province, which claimed multiple lives, Caliber.Az reports via Azertac.

He prayed for Almighty Allah's mercy upon the victims and wished a swift recovery to those injured in the incident.

The Azerbaijani President also noted that he had previously sent a letter of condolences to President Erdogan on January 21, expressing solidarity in the wake of the tragedy.

President Erdogan expressed his gratitude for the thoughtful condolences and reaffirmed the enduring bond between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the two nations have always stood by each other and will continue to do so.

The two leaders also discussed various aspects of bilateral relations during their conversation.

The fire, which occurred on the night of January 21, broke out in the restaurant area of the 12-story wooden hotel the Grand Kartal Hotel in the ski resort of Kartalkaya, Bolu Province. The flames rapidly spread throughout the structure. According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, emergency services arrived at the scene within 40-45 minutes, but the fire proved difficult to contain.

Of the 238 guests staying at the hotel that night, 79 lost their lives and 51 sustained injuries. Some individuals attempted to escape by jumping out of windows in desperation. The disaster left a profound impact across the nation.

In response to the tragedy, Türkiye declared 22 January a national day of mourning, honouring the victims of this devastating event.

By Khagan Isayev