Istanbul [Turkiye], January 22 : Turkiye has detained nine individuals in connection with a deadly fire at a ski resort hotel that claimed the lives of 76 people, as reported by Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
According to Al Jazeera, the arrests, confirmed by Turkiye's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, include the hotel's owner, as concerns over the building's safety measures continue to grow.
Six prosecutors have been appointed to investigate the incident, which is believed to have originated in the restaurant area of the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel, located at the Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu Mountains.
The Turkish government is facing mounting criticism as witnesses and reports indicate that the hotel's fire detection system failed to activate during the blaze, with survivors among the 238 registered guests saying no fire alarms went off and they had to navigate the smoke-filled corridors in total darkness, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Guests described scenes of panic, with some jumping from windows to escape.
Minister Yerlikaya shared that 45 victims' bodies had been returned to their families, while DNA testing is underway to identify the rest.
"Our hearts are broken. We are in mourning," the minister told reporters outside the hotel, as quoted by Al Jazeera. "But you should know that whoever is responsible for causing this pain will not escape justice."
The hotel expressed its condolences and vowed full cooperation with authorities.
"We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of this incident," it said in a statement as quoted by Al Jazeera. "We are deeply saddened by the losses and want you to know that we share this pain with all our hearts."
Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning on Wednesday following the incident.
The incident occurred during the peak winter tourism season at Kartalkaya, a popular ski destination located about 295 km east of Istanbul.
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