New Development in the Grand Kartal Hotel Case

The prosecutor's office presented its opinion on the merits of the case regarding the deaths of 78 people and injuries of 137 people in the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu's Kartalkaya Ski Resort on January 21, 2025.

7 Defendants Charged with "Possible Premeditated Murder"

In the opinion submitted to the Bolu 1st High Criminal Court, the court requested that seven defendants—including hotel managers Halit Ergül, Emir Aras, Ahmet Demir, and Kadir Özdemir, Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, Acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, and firefighter İrfan Acar—be punished for "probable murder" for 78 people and "probable wounding" for numerous others. The prosecutor's office assessed that these individuals acted with a "no matter what" mentality despite knowing the risks to their lives.

Request for Conscious Negligence for Other Defendants

The opinion requested that numerous defendants, including hotel board members, technical staff, occupational safety experts, auditing company officials, kitchen personnel, and LPG maintenance personnel, be punished for "causing death and injury through conscious negligence." Four defendants, including Bolu Special Provincial Administration personnel, were also charged with "causing death through negligence." A request was made for chef Enver Öztürk to be acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

Cause of Fire: Faulty Grill and LPG Installation

According to the prosecutor's office, the fire originated from an electric grill on the hotel's restaurant floor. The fire, which began when the thermostat malfunctioned and overheated, ignited the accumulated oil in the oil reservoir beneath the appliance. The fire escalated due to the unauthorized and unauthorized use of an LPG system. The flames melted the hoses, releasing gas that escalated the fire to the point of explosion.

Cancelled Fire Department Report Draws Attention

The opinion stated that numerous deficiencies were identified in an inspection conducted by the Bolu Municipality Fire Department a month before the fire, but that the report was subsequently rescinded by Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener at the initiative of the hotel management. The prosecutor's office noted that this process formed the basis for accusations of "possible intent" against the defendants.

Staff Intervention Was Inadequate

The report noted that the hotel lacked fire training or drills, that staff lacked firefighting knowledge, and that panicked opening of doors accelerated the spread of the flames. It also stated that some staff forgot to turn off appliances and were at fault for starting the fire.

The defendants and their lawyers are expected to make their final defenses against the opinion at the next hearing of the case.