Large fire at Turkish ski resort hotel leaves 10 dead, over 30 injured

A large fire has engulfed a hotel in a popular ski destination in Turkey, leaving 10 dead and over 30 injured, according to local media. Hundreds of guests were reportedly staying at the hotel.

The fire erupted at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, a large multi-story ski resort in northern Turkey. Firefighters arrived at the scene and are working to extinguish the flames in the hotel, which is primarily made of wood, according to local media.

At least 10 people have been confirmed dead, according to NTV, with another 32 reported injured. The hotel was accommodating 234 guests at the time of the fire, but it remains uncertain whether any are still trapped inside or if they have all safely evacuated.

The region’s governor, Abdülaziz Aydın, had initially confirmed a death toll of three, indicating that two of the victims died after jumping from the hotel. The fatalities include a worker and a guest.

Footage shared by witnesses showed the upper floors of the large hotel engulfed in flames, with a significant blaze shooting out of the entrance doors. Live coverage from local media showed flames still emanating from the building five hours after the fire began.

The fire is believed to have started on the restaurant floor of the hotel, but an investigation into the cause of the incident is still ongoing.