A catastrophic fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya Ski Resort has claimed the lives of 66 people and left 51 others injured, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya.

The blaze, which erupted during the night, raged for over 10 hours, engulfing the luxury hotel and causing significant casualties. Emergency services and firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the inferno, but the scale of the tragedy was immense.

In response to the disaster, several high-ranking officials, including Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Labour and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan, and Minister Yerlikaya himself, visited the area to oversee the aftermath and coordinate relief efforts. They conducted on-site inspections and provided updates to the media.

Interior Minister Yerlikaya confirmed the death toll and injury count in a statement to the press, expressing deep sorrow for the lives lost and the devastating impact on the victims' families.

Authorities are continuing investigations to determine the cause of the fire, with efforts focused on ensuring the safety of other establishments in the region. (ILKHA)