Bolu court to open trial over deadly hotel fire at ski resort

BOLU

Judges in the northern province of Bolu will begin hearing testimony on July 7 from suspects linked to the deadly fire that engulfed a ski resort hotel in January, marking the opening of a highly anticipated trial.

The blaze tore through the Grand Kartal Hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort in the early hours of Jan. 21, killing 78 people. The hotel was fully occupied due to the mid-term school holiday, while nearly half of the victims were children who had come to enjoy their winter break.

Testimonies from survivors and expert witnesses pointed to extensive safety failures at multiple levels at the luxury hotel, triggering nationwide outrage and dominating Türkiye’s media agenda for days following the tragedy.

According to the indictment, prosecutors in Bolu are seeking a total of 1,998 years in prison for key defendants — including the hotel’s owner, senior managers, board members, Bolu’s deputy mayor, the deputy fire chief and a firefighter — on 78 counts of "killing with possible intent."

Prosecutors are also demanding prison terms of up to 22 years and six months for an additional 19 individuals, accusing them of "causing death and injury through conscious negligence." This group includes members of the hotel’s technical and kitchen staff, as well as external contractors responsible for maintenance.

The trial, which has drawn significant attention from the media, politicians and the public, is expected to last at least 14 days for its initial phase, given the scale of the case. A total of 210 plaintiffs and 32 defendants are involved.

Due to the large number of participants, existing courtrooms in Bolu’s judicial complex were deemed insufficient.

Authorities converted the gymnasium of a local high school into a temporary courtroom with a capacity of 700 seats.

The facility has undergone substantial renovation, as interior and exterior walls were repainted, a modern lighting system installed and the electrical infrastructure overhauled to connect to both generator backup and an uninterruptible power supply.

Security cameras were installed throughout the premises. To improve courtroom acoustics, the entire floor was carpeted, and a state-of-the-art sound system was deployed. A dedicated internet line has been established to ensure full connectivity with the judiciary online system UYAP, enabling digital documentation and remote access if required.