Grand Kartal Hotel, where 79 people lost their lives due to the fire disaster in Bolu Kartalkaya, was found seriously damaged after an inspection by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization teams. It is now being discussed whether the hotel, which chains of neglect have literally invited disaster, will be demolished. Making a statement on the subject on his social media account, Prof. Dr. İlber Ortaylı said, “Even talking about the demolition of the burning hotel is a crime.”
Professor Dr. İlber Ortaylı commented on the matter through his social media account, saying, “Even talking about demolishing the burned hotel is a crime.”
Here is the full statement from Ortaylı’s Instagram post:
“My highly esteemed and dear readers, as you all know, this week we experienced an event that will be remembered with sorrow and horror, not only in Turkey but also by the global public. Many families spanning two or three generations were affected by this event, and lives were cut short. The world is now full of mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers left alone. Those who knew the deceased or heard their stories are finding it hard to move on with their lives. We are living through days filled with grief and pain.
Some officials have suggested that the hotel should be demolished to rid people of the discomfort and tourists of the disturbing sight of this tragic event. Even talking about this is a crime. Preserving the hotel in its current state is not a matter of opinion but a duty of the authorities managing this province and its security.
As the case will eventually be heard, expert panels will be established, and further investigations will be conducted. The most significant piece of evidence in this tragedy is the hotel itself. It needs to remain standing for the incident to be understood.
My dear readers, as you can see, people are creating their own authorities and making their own rules. This must stop. For us to return to our lives and look to the future with hope, we must have confidence in the officials to whom we entrust our lives. We believe that these matters will be addressed.”*
What Happened at Grand Kartal Hotel?
The fire disaster that broke out on the morning of January 20 at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Center devastated the whole country. People tried to escape from the 12-storey hotel, where the fire disaster took place, by tying the sheets together, where the intervention took approximately 12 hours and firefighters could reach the scene in an hour. 79 people, mostly children, lost their lives and 51 people were injured in the hotel where 238 people stayed for the semester break.
During the hours of the disaster, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) imposed a broadcast ban regarding the fire by the Bolu 2nd Criminal Judgeship of Peace within the scope of the relevant article of the Press Law No. 5187. The ban was lifted the next day. After the disaster, a day of national mourning was declared.
According to preliminary findings, the hotel’s evacuation exits, fire alarm and smoke control system were inadequate in the fire, which was extinguished in 11 hours. In the fire brigade’s report, the hotel’s deficiencies are: “Evacuation exits are not suitable, illuminated direction signs are missing, there is no emergency lighting in the building, electrical installation is not suitable, extinguishing equipment instructions are missing, there are no detection systems and fire alarms, there is no lightning rod and smoke controller.” “The emergency exit doors that lead to the pool, SPA area and restaurant room do not comply with fire regulations.”
