Türkiye declares day of mourning following Kartalkaya fire tragedy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a one-day national mourning period following the devastating fire in the northwestern province of Bolu's winter tourism center Kartalkaya that killed at least 66 people and injured 51 others.

Flags will be flown at half-staff across Türkiye and its foreign missions until sunset, in honor of the victims, Caliber.Az reports citing Turkish media.

Addressing the nation, President Erdoğan vowed accountability for those responsible for the tragedy. “Those who caused this disaster, including those who were negligent or at fault, will face justice,” he said.

Calling for unity, Erdoğan urged political leaders, media, and local officials to respect the grief of the affected communities. “This is not a day for politics but a time for solidarity and togetherness,” he stated.

A fire at a ski resort in northern Türkiye killed at least 66 people and injured 51 others, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

Of the injured, 17 were discharged from hospital while one remains in intensive care, Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said.

The fire broke out at around 3.30 a.m. local time (0027GMT) in the restaurant area of the Kartalkaya ski resort hotel, quickly engulfing the building, according to Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin.

It was brought under control after 10 hours of work by firefighters, authorities told Anadolu, while efforts to cool down the affected areas continue.

Emergency teams from neighboring cities, including firefighters, disaster response units, and medical teams supported by helicopters, were dispatched to the scene.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation into the incident was launched by a team of six prosecutors, along with a five-member expert committee.

Tunc stated that four people, including the owner of the hotel, were detained as part of the investigation. The investigations of the five-member expert committee on the cause of the fire are ongoing, and work is underway to determine the fault.

By Vafa Guliyeva