Kartalkaya hotel workers ‘couldn’t find extinguishers’ during fire

Two kitchen employees remanded in custody in connection with the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Bolu’s Kartalkaya ski resort, which claimed 78 lives, have provided statements about the night of the incident.

Chef Faysal Y. and baker Mehmet G. described the chaos they experienced during the fire, reporting that essential safety measures such as fire alarms and extinguishers were either absent or nonfunctional, according to Anadolu Agency (AA) reporting.

Faysal Y. stated that he and his assistant had begun preparing breakfast ingredients between 11.30 pm and midnight. “We were working in the kitchen when chef Yusuf shouted, ‘There’s a fire!’ We went to check and saw flames in the restaurant area. We immediately searched for a fire extinguisher but couldn’t find one. I didn’t come across any extinguishers on my way out of the building,” he said.

He explained that they tried to wake up hotel staff and guests by shouting as they made their way to the second floor. “We woke as many people as we could and then headed toward the garage to escape. The building was full of smoke by the time we reached the garage. We managed to force the door open and get outside,” Faysal said.

After exiting the building, Faysal tried to re-enter but was unable to because the smoke had become overwhelming. “Throughout the entire time inside, I never heard any fire alarms, mechanical warning sounds, or saw any sprinklers activate. We relied solely on our voices to alert people,” he added.

Faysal noted that he had been working at the hotel for just one month and had not participated in any fire drills or been introduced to emergency personnel. “I wasn’t aware of any inspections or fire safety drills during my shifts,” he said.

He denied any wrongdoing, asserting, “I was one of the first to see the fire, and I did everything I could to help the guests and staff. I do not accept the charges against me.”

‘Couldn’t find fire extinguishers or emergency buttons’

Mehmet G., who had worked at the hotel for four seasons, described a similar experience. He explained that he was preparing dough for pastries when the head baker, Yusuf, informed him about the fire. “Yusuf shouted, ‘There’s a fire!’ and I started looking for a fire extinguisher, but I couldn’t find one anywhere in my section,” Mehmet said.

Mehmet added that Yusuf ran to the reception area to trigger the fire alarms. Meanwhile, he began shouting, “Fire!” as he descended the stairs, knocking on doors to warn people. However, he reported not seeing any emergency buttons or fire extinguishers on the floors he passed.

Once outside, Mehmet saw flames engulfing the hotel’s facade. He said he tried to assist by bringing mattresses from a nearby hotel to create a landing surface for those jumping out of windows. He was unable to recall the exact time when fire crews, ambulances, and gendarmes arrived.

Mehmet said that he had no knowledge of whether the hotel had a functioning fire alarm system, fire escape, or ongoing inspections. He also confirmed that no fire drills had been conducted during his time at the hotel. “I work the night shift and am not involved in inspections or emergency procedures,” he explained.

The fire broke out in the restaurant on the hotel’s fourth floor around 3.30 am and spread rapidly through the building, prompting many guests to escape by jumping or tying bed sheets together. Investigations have since revealed serious deficiencies in the hotel’s fire safety infrastructure.

(HA/VK)