Update as of 8 AM EST: A devastating fire swept through a hotel at a ski resort in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday, killing at least 66 lives and injuring 32 others, according to the interior minister.
Witnesses reported that desperate guests attempted to escape using ropes, while video footage showed bedsheets dangling from windows. Media outlets indicated that some victims lost their lives while trying to jump to safety.
"Our pain is great," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told reporters at the Kartalkaya resort.
Original story:
A fire erupted at a ski resort hotel in northwestern Turkey, leaving at least 10 people dead and 32 others injured, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.
The blaze occurred at a hotel in the Kartalkaya resort, located in Bolu province, and was reported around 3:27 a.m. local time, Yerlikaya announced on X.
Kartalkaya is a well-known winter destination, particularly popular during school holidays, which span January through early February.
Approximately 234 guests were staying at the hotel when the fire broke out, Governor Abdulaziz Aydin told the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Tragically, two victims lost their lives after jumping from the building "in a panic," Aydin added.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that 267 emergency personnel were sent to respond to the blaze.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
This is a developing story.
