The Bolu 1. Heavy Penal Court has released the 406-page reasoned decision for its verdict in the Grand Kartal Hotel fire case.
The fire, which occurred on Jan 21 at the Kartalkaya ski resort in the northwestern province of Bolu, resulted in the deaths of 78 people, including 36 children, and injured more than 130 others.
Bolu hotel fire: delayed response, lack of oversight, flawed legal framework
The court's decision explained why it convicted 11 defendants of “killing with probable intent." Referring to Court of Cassation precedents, the court pointed out that the actions of individuals “playing with a weapon at a wedding, in a crowded environment, running a red light twice and not heeding warnings, speeding, and running a red light and not listening to warnings from those with them” have been classified as probable intent rather than conscious negligence.
Risks known, no steps taken
The court found that the defendants knowingly disregarded critical fire safety shortcomings, which exceeded the limits of “conscious negligence.”
The decision stated that defendants Halit Ergül, owner of the hotel, Emir Aras, Ahmet Demir, and Kadir Özdemir had the authority to address the deficiencies detected in the hotel and were aware of the serious danger these shortcomings posed. Despite this, the court found they failed to take any action.
'No alarms, no sprinklers': Bolu ski resort fire death toll rises to 76 amid negligence allegations
The court concluded that the defendants acted with a mentality of “let it happen if it happens,” which led to the conscious negligence threshold being surpassed. This finding resulted in the aggravation of their criminal liability.
The ruling also confirmed that the hotel's board members were informed of the fire from the very beginning. However, the court stated that the board members did not provide any information or instructions for the evacuation or rescue of the other guests staying in the hotel.
The court identified a series of acts of negligence committed by hotel owner Halit Ergül and his family members on the board:
Converting the 11th and 12th floors into hotel rooms, in violation of the operating license, despite fire regulations requiring a mandatory smoke evacuation exit.
Operating the elevator in a manner contrary to fire regulations.
Using areas designated as fire escapes as personnel passageways, eliminating their intended fire safety purpose.
Lacking a mandatory sprinkler system, which was required based on the square footage and number of occupants.
Failing to provide adequate emergency exits, evacuation areas, emergency lighting, and exit signs.
Failing to employ an official occupational safety specialist and not providing personnel with occupational safety training.
Installing electrical and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) systems that were non-compliant with safety regulations.
Municipal negligence
The court's reasoning also included evaluations concerning municipal personnel. It noted that an inspection by the Bolu Municipality Fire Directorate on Dec 16, 2024, found that almost all essential fire safety elements required by regulation were absent from the hotel.
Despite identifying these shortcomings, the municipality failed to ensure that the deficiencies were corrected. The court deemed this conduct by the public institution a “grave act that jeopardized public safety,” noting that the municipality failed to perform its core duty.
The Bolu 1. Heavy Penal Court announced its verdict during the trial's third hearing on Oct 31. The case involved 32 defendants, 20 of whom were detained. The court issued its judgment on the charge of “causing the death and injury of multiple people through conscious negligence,” handing down life sentences to 11 defendants.
The 11 defendants who received 36 counts of aggravated life imprisonment for the deaths of the children:
Halit Ergül, the hotel owner.
Emine Ergül, board member and Halit Ergül’s wife.
Elif Aras, board member and Halit Ergül’s daughter.
Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, board member and Halit Ergül’s daughter.
Emir Aras, General Manager and Halit Ergül’s son-in-law.
Zeki Yılmaz, Hotel Manager.
Kadir Özdemir, Hotel Accounting Manager.
Ahmet Demir, Gazele Hotel Manager.
Sedat Gülener, Bolu Deputy Mayor.
Kenan Coşkun, Acting Bolu Municipality Fire Directorate.
İrfan Acar, Bolu Municipality Firefighter.
Additionally, the 11 defendants received 44 sentences of 24 years and 11 months in prison for the deaths of the 44 adults on the charge of "killing with probable intent." They also received varying prison sentences for “injury with probable intent” and “damage to property with probable intent.”
What happened?
The fire broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort on Jan 21, 2025, during the winter school break. The 12-story hotel was hosting 238 guests when the fire started around 3.27 am local time in the kitchen/restaurant area on the fourth floor.
Seventy-eight people, including 36 children, were killed, and over 130 were injured. Many victims died from suffocation. Witnesses reported that fire alarms and sprinklers failed to activate, forcing guests to navigate smoke-filled corridors in darkness or use bedsheets to climb out of windows.
The rapid spread of the fire was attributed to factors like the building's wooden cladding and the absence of fire safety measures such as smoke detectors, automatic sprinklers, and functioning emergency exit lights.
Firefighters from distant locations were delayed by freezing weather and the hotel's remote, cliffside location, with the first arrivals taking almost an hour. The incident raised questions regarding fire safety regulations and accountability in tourist facilities. The trial against 32 defendants began on Jul 7, 2025.
(HA/VK)
