Death toll in Turkey rises

The number of people killed in the fire at a hotel in the ski resort of Kartalkaya in north-western Turkey has risen to 76. According to DW, citing Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, the bodies of 52 of the victims have been identified.

The fire started on the fourth floor of the 12-storey wooden building. The Grand Kartal hotel in Bolu province was housing 238 guests at the time of the incident, the minister confirmed.

As the flames spread, some guests jumped out of windows, resulting in at least two deaths. Others used sheets and blankets to descend down the building. Dozens of fire engines and 38 ambulances were dispatched to the scene. The rescue operation was complicated by the hotel's location on a mountainside.

It took more than 10 hours to bring the fire under control. More than 200 people were involved in firefighting efforts. Bolu Governor Abdulhalik Aytun reported that the fire has been almost completely contained. The cause of the blaze remains unknown.

An investigation into the tragedy has already begun, and six prosecutors have been appointed to oversee the inquiry. Nine people, including the hotel owner, have been taken into custody, although no formal charges have been filed, the Interior Minister said.

On 22 January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a day of national mourning.

The Kartalkaya ski resort is located in the Koroğlu Mountains, approximately 270 kilometres from Istanbul. According to dpa, schools in Turkey are currently on winter break.