Turkish Court Sentences Hotel Owner, Officials to Life for Deadly 78-Fatality Fire

A Turkish court sentenced Halit Ergül, owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel, along with ten others including his family members, hotel managers, the deputy mayor, and the deputy fire chief, to life imprisonment for severe negligence linked to a deadly fire at the ski resort hotel in Bolu's Kartalkaya. The fire, which occurred during the January winter school break, killed 78 people including 34 children and injured over 130 others, marking it as the deadliest fire in Turkey's history. The court found that critical safety equipment malfunctioned, and the fire was exacerbated by issues such as a ruptured gas hose and an open door that accelerated smoke spread. Survivors' accounts detailed desperate escapes by jumping from windows and using bedsheets, while families of victims protested for justice and accountability. Ergül denied responsibility, blaming the gas supplier and tourism ministry, but the court held all defendants accountable with sentences ranging from life imprisonment to 22 years for others involved. The tragedy sparked widespread outrage and calls for improved fire safety standards in Turkey's hospitality sector.