A total of 28 people have been detained in connection with the devastating fire at the “Grand Kartal“ hotel in the Turkish ski resort of Kartalkaya, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced, quoted by the state television TRT-Haber, BTA reports.
According to Erdogan, 19 of those detained, including the hotel owner, have been placed under permanent arrest.
The president made the statement during a meeting of the parliamentary group of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the Turkish Mejlis.
Erdogan assured that all those responsible for the tragedy in Kartalkaya (Bolu district) will be brought to justice.
“No one will be able to escape responsibility“, the Turkish president stated categorically.
According to him, the investigative commission established to determine the causes of the incident continues its work. Initial findings indicate that the fire risk at the hotel was not adequately assessed and safety measures were inadequate.
Erdogan also revealed that inspections had found the fire protection system to be in poor condition – it was not functioning and there were no emergency teams in the area capable of responding immediately. In addition:
- The number of fire extinguishers was insufficient.
- The emergency exits and doors did not meet safety requirements.
The tragedy, which took place on January 21, claimed the lives of 78 people, including at least 36 children. Another 51 guests were injured. At the time of the incident, a total of 238 people were in the hotel.