Turkey: Death toll from ski resort blaze rises to 79
As officials continue to play the blame game, the number of people detained as part of the investigation into the disaster has increased to 11.
ANKARA — The death toll from the fire in a ski resort in northwest Turkey rose to 79 on Wednesday, Turkish authorities said.
The before-dawn Tuesday blaze at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkey’s northwestern province of Bolu wiped out dozens of families who traveled to the Kartalkaya ski resort during a winter break for primary and high schools.
Bolu's chief prosecutor’s office, which is overseeing the investigation into the disaster, announced in a statement on Wednesday that the death toll from the fire had risen to 79 from 76. Funerals of the deceased began on Wednesday as Turkey observes a national mourning for the lives lost.
At the time of the fire, the hotel, which charges roughly $1,000 per night, had roughly 240 guests in addition to more than 50 staff members, according to officials.
