Ten dead, 32 injured in Turkish ski resort hotel fire

A fire engulfed a hotel at the popular Kartalkaya ski resort in northwestern Turkey early Tuesday, killing 10 people and injuring 32 others, the interior minister said.

Private NTV broadcaster said three people died after jumping from the hotel’s windows. 

The resort is located on top of a mountain range about 170 kilometres northwest of the capital Ankara. 

The fire, which is believed to have started in the restaurant at around midnight, spread quickly. It was not immediately clear what caused it. 

 

Television footage showed huge plumes of smoke rising into the sky with a snow-capped mountain behind the hotel.

Part of it backs onto a cliff, making it harder for firefighters to tackle the blaze. 

Local media said 237 people were staying at the hotel, where the occupancy rate was between 80 and 90 per cent due to the school holidays.

Those evacuated were rehoused in nearby hotels.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said six prosecutors had been allocated to investigate the blaze. 

The health, interior and culture ministers are expected to visit the site later in the day.

Kartalkaya is one of the country’s premier winter tourism destinations, attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season. The resort lies about 295 kilometres east of Istanbul.