In a landmark ruling, the owner of the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu, along with ten others, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. This decision comes after a tragic fire, the deadliest in Turkey’s history, ripped through the hotel, claiming the lives of 78 people, including 34 children.
The fire, which erupted in the early hours of the morning during a school holiday period, led to desperate residents leaping from the 12-story building to escape the inferno. An investigation revealed critical failures in safety equipment and non-compliance with gas equipment safety standards, underscoring a severe lapse in preventative measures.
Hotel owner Halit Ergül, his wife, and two daughters were among those found guilty of severe negligence, receiving the maximum penalty. They were sentenced alongside Bolu’s deputy mayor and the local fire chief. While Ergül denied direct responsibility, citing regular inspections and blaming the gas supplier, the court found his negligence contributed to the disaster.
Many other defendants received sentences ranging from 12 to 22 years, primarily hotel employees. Some individuals, including two cooks, were acquitted.
The incident occurred in the popular Kartalkaya ski resort, a favorite destination for travelers from Istanbul and Ankara. At the time of the tragedy, the hotel was operating at full capacity due to the school holiday season.