Commission hears testimony from families of Kartalkaya fire victims

ANKARA

Turkish parliament's commission investigating the deadly fire at a hotel in Bolu’s Kartalkaya ski resort heard testimony on April 30 from relatives of those who lost their lives in the incident.

The blaze erupted in the northwestern province on Jan. 21 and killed 78 people, sparking nationwide outrage and dominating Türkiye’s headlines for days. 

The commission, chaired by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Selami Altınok, convened to listen to the accounts of the victims' families.

Hilmi Altın, who lost his wife and child in the fire, said they had examined the case file in detail.

Calling on the commission to produce a precedent-setting report, Altın said, “The burden we carry is more than any human can bear. I’m a husband and father ashamed to be alive after surviving that hell. The number 78 is no longer just a number. There are 78 lives, 78 stories.”

Altın said the tragedy was not due to negligence or error but was “murder” and demanded legal regulations that prioritize safety.

“How can people die in a hotel marketed as safe and child-friendly by top tourism agencies?” he asked. “That property should never again be opened to tourism. It should be turned into a memorial.”

Zeynep Kotan, who lost her son in the fire, criticized the slow pace of the judicial process and asked commission members to attend court hearings in support.

Several lawmakers were visibly emotional during the session as they listened to the families’ testimonies.

Eray Bağcı, who also lost his son, emphasized that the incident was no accident. Declaring their desire for justice, Bağcı stated that the shortcomings and realities must not be covered up.

Duygu Can, who lost both her son and daughter, described the incident as a “massacre.”

She played a voice message left by her 13-year-old son before he died. “My son didn’t say ‘Help us, save us.’ He said, ‘Mom, I love you.’ My child knew he was going to die and he left me this voice recording.”

“We will prepare a fair report,” said Altınok after the session. “We will fight for these 78 souls together so that no more lives are lost.”

The commission’s work was initially set to end on May 13, but it was extended for one more month during the meeting.