The identities of all those who died in the tragedy at the “Grand Kartal“ hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort, Bolu district, northwestern Turkey, have been established, Turkish media report.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Ministry of Justice announced today that the victims of the fire are 78. Yesterday, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Bolu indicated that the victims are 79.
Among the dead is a foreigner.
The identities of all 78 dead have been established after DNA expertise.
Currently, 12 injured people are being treated in hospitals. Out of a total of 51 injured, 39 people have been discharged.
The fire in the multi-storey hotel in the popular winter resort began on the night of January 21. There were 238 guests in the hotel at the time of the fire. On January 22, a national day of mourning was declared in Turkey.
According to information from the Turkish television NTV, the preliminary damage assessment report for the “Grand Kartal“ hotel has been completed and it has been determined that the building is “severely damaged“. Once the final report on the hotel is prepared, a decision will be made to carry out strengthening work or demolish it.
The investigation into the tragic incident continues, with 11 people detained so far, including the hotel owner, the deputy mayor of Bolu, and the deputy head of the local fire department.
Meanwhile, posts have appeared on social media from people complaining that they want to cancel their hotel reservations in Kartalkaya after the tragedy, but that hotels in the area are refusing to refund them.
“We do not accept cancellations. The fire did not affect our hotel, there is no problem welcoming customers. If you do not want to come, that is your decision, but there is no possibility of refunding the money you have paid in advance,“ the hotels announced.