High-profile trial for deadly hotel fire that killed 78 opens in Türkiye

A total of 32 defendants went on trial on Monday (July 7, 2025) over a deadly fire that tore through a popular ski resort hotel, killing 78 people and injuring 133 others.

The Jan 21 fire hit the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in the province of Bolu during the winter school break. Dozens of children taking family vacations were among the victims.

The tragedy, which saw guests and staff jump out of windows to escape smoke and flame-filled rooms or dangle sheets out of windows to lower themselves down, sent shockwaves across Türkiye and sparked widespread calls for accountability over negligence and safety violations.

Thirteen of the defendants face potential jail terms of 1,998 years each on charges of killing or wounding with possible intent, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency, citing a 98-page indictment from the Bolu Public Prosecutor’s Office. The 19 others are charged with negligently causing death or injury, for which they could be jailed for 22½ years.

With 210 plaintiffs and 32 defendants involved in the high-profile case, the trial is taking place at a sports centre in Bolu that has been temporarily converted into a 700-seat courtroom to accommodate the proceedings, Anadolu reported.