The Gendarmerie General Command has denied claims that the Gendarmerie Search and Rescue Teams (JAK) withdrew from the area before the hotel fire in Kartalkaya and did not intervene in the incident.
In a statement from the command, it was emphasized that some media outlets published inaccurate information, stating that the JAK teams stationed in Kartalkaya withdrew from the area before the fire and did not intervene in the incident.
The statement highlighted that the Kartalkaya Gendarmerie Command post is located in the Kartalkaya Ski Resort and added the following: "Currently, a total of two JAK teams are on duty in the area 24/7, consisting of one JAK team from the Bolu Provincial Gendarmerie Command and one JAK team from the Gendarmerie Special Operations Command (JÖAK), assigned to support the winter season. Upon receiving the news of the fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel, the two JAK teams intervened within eight minutes and began rescue operations."
It was also mentioned that: "To support the search and rescue efforts, one helicopter and one JAK team from Gendarmerie Special Public Security Command (JÖAK), one Helicopter Deployment and Recovery Team (HATU) and two Gendarmerie Commando Teams from the Bolu Provincial Gendarmerie Command were urgently dispatched to the region. The false claims in the news are intended to mislead the public and negatively impact the reputation of the Gendarmerie General Command."
A fire broke out on Jan. 21 at the 11-story Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya Ski Resort, located in Bolu, northwestern Türkiye, tragically claiming the lives of 78 people and leaving dozens more injured.
Following an investigation, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has published a comprehensive damage assessment report for the hotel.
The Bolu Provincial Directorate teams conducted an inspection of the building after the fire and determined that the building was "heavily damaged."
A team, including academics, carried out further inspections at the fire-ravaged hotel. After the inspection, a detailed damage assessment report was issued and submitted to the public prosecutor's office.
The team examined the building’s columns, beams and floors. Based on the findings, it was deemed appropriate to evaluate the building as "heavily damaged."
According to the 7663 Disaster Damage Assessment Regulation and the works for determining the effects of the disaster, the fire had a significant impact, particularly on the fourth and fifth floors. The building was thus classified as "heavily damaged."
The report recommends that any administrative action be postponed until the ongoing legal process and expert report are completed. Appropriate actions should be taken afterward.
Investigations into the deadly fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel have uncovered critical fire safety deficiencies, which were identified during a fire safety inspection conducted by the Bolu Municipality Fire Department in December 2024.
The inspection report highlighted several serious issues, including inadequate emergency exits, lack of proper fire alarms and insufficient fire-fighting equipment. Despite these alarming findings, the hotel was allowed to continue operations, and a fire safety certificate was issued for the hotel's restaurant just days before the fire occurred.
The certificate for the 70-square-meter restaurant was signed by Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, who is also the nephew of Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan. Gülener had been assigned oversight of the fire department by his uncle two years prior. Although the inspection revealed deficiencies in fire safety measures, the certificate was issued on Jan. 2, 2025, allowing the restaurant to remain operational.
This has raised significant questions about the handling of safety regulations by local authorities, as the inspection was followed by a request for re-inspection that was ultimately canceled by the hotel.
