At least 76 people died, and 51 others were injured when a fire broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, a popular ski destination in Turkey’s Bolu province, reports AP.

The fire started in the restaurant area on the fourth floor and quickly spread upwards. The blaze occurred just before schools were set to begin their winter break, a time when local hotels are fully booked.

At least 66 dead, 51 injured in Turkey hotel fire

Esra Karakisa and Halime Cetin, friends who were at a nearby hotel, were left in shock as they witnessed people trapped in smoke-filled rooms, crying for help, and some deciding to jump from windows to escape the flames.

Cetin, who works at a hotel next door, recalled, "There was no one there to help. They were screaming for firefighters, breaking windows. Some couldn’t stand the smoke or fire and leapt out." Karakisa added, "It was terrifying. We were horrified, especially by the children's screams. We wanted to help, but there was nothing we could do. It was too frightening to watch."

Six prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the cause of the fire. The hotel, a wooden structure, had been inspected in 2021 and 2024, and no fire safety concerns were noted. Nine people have been detained for questioning, including the hotel owner.

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Flags were lowered to half-staff as Turkey observed a national day of mourning for the victims. As of late Tuesday, only 45 of the 76 bodies had been identified.

One of the injured remains in critical condition, and 29 others were treated and discharged. The hotel had 238 registered guests, and the fire was reported at 3:27 a.m., with firefighters arriving at 4:15 a.m. Authorities noted that the hotel’s location on the side of a cliff complicated rescue efforts.

Karakisa later helped by providing clothes and water to the survivors, while others tried to assist by setting up mattresses or leaning ladders against the wall for those inside to escape.

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Among the rescuers was Baris Salgur, a cleaner at a nearby hotel. He recalled, "People were crying for help, saying, 'We’re burning!' We tried to calm them down, but there was nothing we could do. We couldn’t reach them."

Salgur described the heart-wrenching moment when two women jumped from the top floor after the flames reached their room. He also witnessed a man with a baby on the top floor, desperately asking for a mattress to cushion his fall. Sadly, the baby died from smoke inhalation before the fire department arrived to rescue them.