Who is responsible for the Turkey ski hotel fire?

A devastating fire at a ski resort hotel in Turkey's Bolu province on Tuesday claimed the lives of an entire family, resulting in a total of 76 deaths and 51 injuries. The tragedy occurred at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, a popular destination for families during school and university holidays.

Zehra Sena Gultekin, along with her husband and three children, perished in the blaze, along with nine other relatives. Numerous other families also suffered the same fate, losing their lives in the fire. Nedim Türkmen, a columnist for the prominent newspaper Sözcü, his wife Ayşe Neva, and their two university-aged children, Ala Dora and Yüce Ata, also tragically died in the fire. Economist and frequent media commentator Atakan Yalçın and his daughter, as well as the Güngör family—Burcu, Kıvanç, and their young children Pelin and Kerem—were also among the victims. Neurologist Dr. Ahmet Çetiz, his wife, their twin children Sedat and Vedat, and their youngest child Esat, also all lost their lives.

An official investigation has been launched, with nine arrests made on Tuesday. However, even before the full extent of the disaster has been understood, politicians, local government officials, and ministers have begun blaming each other, attempting to deflect responsibility. Survivors reported that smoke detectors were not working, and many were awakened by noises and banging on doors around 3 am (12 am GMT) to find the building engulfed in flames. Sprinklers did not activate, and there were no signs directing guests to the two emergency stairwells. Those who found the stairwells discovered that they were also filled with smoke and flames after descending a few floors.

The tragedy has quickly devolved into a political blame game between the government and the opposition, rather than focusing on establishing the cause and holding those responsible accountable. The city of Bolu is governed by opposition mayor Tanju Özcan, a nationally known outspoken anti-immigrant politician. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated on Tuesday that the hotel had been inspected by his ministry in 2021 and 2024 and held a fire safety certificate. However, sources told Middle East Eye that the certificate dated back to 2007. Özcan claimed that the hotel, located 38 km from the city center, was not under the municipality's regular inspection jurisdiction. However, leaked documents showed that the Bolu municipality's fire department had inspected the building in December. The inspection found serious deficiencies, including a malfunctioning fire alarm system and inadequate emergency exits and fire doors.

Journalist Ismail Saymaz, who published the inspection documents, reported that the hotel owners had petitioned the municipality to withdraw their inspection application, which they were likely to fail. It is unclear whether the municipality had notified the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the hotel's non-compliance with fire safety regulations. Reports on Wednesday stated that police had detained Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener and Deputy Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun following the leak. A directive regulating tourism facilities also clearly states that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is responsible for regularly inspecting hotels and ensuring they meet safety standards, regardless of whether they hold a fire safety certificate. “Everyone is blaming each other,” said journalist Kıvanç El. “If we stop looking at ‘who is responsible’ from a political point of view, the responsible parties include the ministry, the municipality, and all those who failed to establish proper laws, regulations, and communiques.”

Political polarization is not new in Turkey. However, in recent years, it has become a dominant force, disrupting debate on the root causes of disasters and contributing to a culture of impunity. A similar pattern emerged when two earthquakes struck Turkey in February 2023, killing tens of thousands of people. Public opinion was deeply divided, with blame directed towards the government and, to a lesser extent, local administrations. When 29 construction workers died in a fire at a nightclub in Istanbul's Besiktas district, fingers were rightly pointed at the opposition-controlled municipality for failing to properly inspect the building. However, the issue was once again politicized, and attention shifted to political messaging rather than identifying those directly responsible for the tragedy.

“We are a polarized society, and we differentiate and protect people based on the political affiliation of the perpetrators and those responsible,” said columnist Yıldıray Oğur. While some argue that the opposition-controlled municipality is responsible, critics point out that most municipal administrations—regardless of their political affiliation—fail to carry out proper inspections due to corruption and networks that allow licenses and approvals to be granted through money and influence. The Grand Kartal Hotel is no exception. Established in the late 1970s, it was the first facility built in what is now a popular winter resort destination. According to Yıldıray Oğur, a columnist for Karar newspaper, the late founder, Mazhar Mürtezaoğlu, and his family reportedly wielded significant influence within local administrations and the government, with political ties spanning both sides of the aisle.

In his column on Wednesday, Oğur contrasted Turkey’s response with that of Serbia, where protests have been ongoing for weeks following the deaths of 15 people in Novi Sad due to an improperly constructed concrete platform at a converted train station. “In Serbia, citizens have been fighting for the rights of those who lost their lives due to negligence—people who could have been themselves,” Oğur wrote. He observed that protesters from across the political spectrum were united in their demands for justice—something that has not materialized in Turkey following the Kartalkaya fire. “Those who support the government blame the opposition-controlled municipality, while those who oppose it blame the Ministry of Culture and Tourism,” Oğur continued. “The cold truth that both are responsible rarely receives attention.” He concluded: “We are a polarized society, and we differentiate and protect people based on the political affiliation of the perpetrators and those responsible.”