The court handed down eight life sentences today in the case of the deadly fire in January at a luxury hotel in a ski resort in Turkey, which killed 78 people, reported the Turkish private television NTV, quoted by BTA.
Among those sentenced to life in prison under strict regime is the owner of the hotel, Halit Ergül. The same sentence was given to his wife Emine Ergül and his daughters Elif Araz and Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, who are part of the hotel's management team, the general manager Emir Aras, the manager Zeki Yılmaz, the deputy mayor of Bolu Sedat Gülener and the director of another hotel Ahmet Demir.
A total of 32 people were accused in the case, 20 of whom were tried under arrest.
The announcement of the sentences was greeted with applause in the courtroom.
A total of 78 people died and over 130 were injured in the fire that engulfed the 12-story "Grand Kartal" hotel in the Kartalkaya resort in the northwestern Bolu district on January 21. The tragedy occurred during the winter vacation of students, when the hotel was accommodating 238 guests. Many of them tried to escape by jumping out of windows or lowering themselves from the rooms with ropes made of sheets.