ANKARA, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities have arrested 19 people as part of an investigation into a deadly fire at a ski resort in the Bolu mountains of northwestern Türkiye, the state-run TRT broadcaster reported on Monday.

Bolu's Deputy Mayor Sedat Gulener, Deputy Director of Fire Brigade Kenan Coskun, General Manager of Gazelle Hotel Ahmet Demir, and fire brigade personnel Irfan Acar were arrested in connection with the Grand Kartal Hotel fire at the Kartalkaya ski resort, where 78 people lost their lives.

Fifteen suspects, including the hotel's owner and managers, were arrested earlier, while six people were released under judicial supervision.

The initial findings showed the fire started in the kitchen and grew due to the lack of a sprinkler system, the TRT reported. The interior fire escape acted as a chimney, the smoke spread to the upper floors, and those who rushed to the escape were poisoned.

One of the documents obtained by the Public Prosecutor's Office showed that Kadir Ozdemir, one of the hotel's managers, asked the municipality for a "fire safety report" on Dec. 12, 2024, and the Bolu Municipality Fire Department did not inform any institution about the report that the hotel was not safe against fire.

The fire, which broke out in the early hours on Jan. 21, spread rapidly through the 12-story wooden hotel.

The incident has sparked calls for accountability and reform, with independent experts highlighting that the Grand Kartal Hotel lacked fundamental fire safety measures. Enditem

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