“This tragedy was the result of negligence,” the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council said in a statement following the catastrophic fire at a hotel in Bolu’s Kartalkaya district on Tuesday, which left 76 dead and over 50 injured.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the death toll and announced that search efforts had concluded. “The remains of 45 individuals have been returned to their families, while DNA identification for others is ongoing,” he stated. Yerlikaya also revealed that nine people had been detained in connection with the incident.
The KCK blamed systemic issues in Turkey for the scale of the disaster. “Negligence, corruption, the fact that people are left to hunger and poverty… are the result of the state and the government not doing their primary duty – they are not acting to serve society,” it stated. The council further criticised the government’s focus on conflict over welfare, adding, “The only thing the government has concentrated on and spent on has been the Kurdish genocide and the war against the Kurds.”
Experts echoed concerns about safety failures. Dr. Rüştü Uçan, an occupational health and safety specialist, highlighted the need for stricter fire prevention measures. “Materials used in construction were not fire-resistant, and no measures seem to have been in place to delay the spread of the fire,” he said. Uçan also called for regular inspections, stating, “It must not stop with a single check by the fire department. Annual inspections are essential, and buildings failing to meet safety standards must not be allowed to accommodate hundreds of people.”
The KCK urged political opposition and civil society to ensure accountability and reform. “We hope that this time, organised institutions of society will expose the negligence and the real reasons for it,” it concluded.
Amid national mourning, the hotel fire has triggered calls for systemic change, with many questioning Turkey’s approach to public safety and governance.
