Turkey has detained nine people as part of an investigation into a fire that killed 76 people and injured dozens at a ski resort in the Bolu mountains, authorities said.
Several funerals were held on Wednesday for families, including numerous children who died on Tuesday in the blaze, which forced panicked hotel guests to jump from windows in the middle of the night.
“Our hearts and souls are hurting, and we are currently trying to fulfill this duty,” President Tayyip Erdogan said at one funeral for eight victims in Bolu in western Turkey.
“I pray for patience for the entire family and our nation.”
The bodies of 45 victims were handed over to their families, while forensic DNA tests were being conducted to identify the others, the government said.
The fire occurred at the Grand Kartal Hotel in the Kartalkaya ski resort, a 12-storey hotel which had 238 registered guests. It was consumed by flames after the blaze started on the restaurant floor around 3:30 a.m. (0030 GMT).
Authorities are facing growing criticism over the hotel’s safety measures, as survivors reported they heard no fire alarms during the incident.
Guests said they had to navigate the smoke-filled corridors in complete darkness and other survivors described scenes of panic as they fled through smoke-filled corridors. Reuters
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