Turkish ski resort fire kills 66, forces guests to jump from windows

A fire at a ski resort hotel in Turkey's Bolu mountains killed 66 people on Tuesday and forced panicked guests to jump out of windows in the middle of the night.

Some 51 people were injured, Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said at the Kartalkaya ski resort in northwest Turkey.

Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin told state broadcaster TRT that the blaze began on the restaurant floor around 3:30 a.m. local time (0030 GMT).

Crews battled flames and smoke that engulfed the Grand Kartal Hotel, where 234 guests stayed. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that more than 250 first responders were deployed to the scene in a post on X.

The hotel's broad wooden exterior adds to the fire’s intensity.

The fire occurs as Turkey enters a two-week nationwide school holiday, which typically draws skiers from major cities like Istanbul and Ankara to the Bolu mountains.

Television footage showed fire engines surrounding the blackened hotel at the base of ski slopes. White bed sheets were tied and hung from an upper-floor window, likely used by guests trying to escape.

Investigators are currently examining the cause of the fire, authorities said.