Court hears further testimony as Kartalkaya fire trial enters second day
BOLU
The trial over the deadly fire that killed 78 people and injured 133 others at a hotel in the northwestern city of Bolu’s Kartalkaya ski resort entered its second day on July 8, with defendants continuing to present their statements before the court.
As part of the case, a total of 32 individuals, including the hotel’s owner, senior managers, municipal officials and company representatives, stand trial in connection with the Jan. 21 fire.
Nineteen of the defendants are currently in detention.
The fire broke out during the busy winter school holiday at the Grand Kartal Hotel, where dozens of families were vacationing at the popular ski resort. Among the victims were 36 children.
The trial, being held in a sports hall converted into a 700-seat courtroom on the premises of a high school, resumed early on July 8, following a dramatic first day that concluded shortly after midnight.
Crowds gathered outside the venue once again on the second day, including relatives of the victims and survivors of the fire.
On the first day of testimony, statements were delivered by several defendants, including the owner of another hotel linked to the Grand Kartal Hotel, inspection firm employees and technical personnel, as well as high-ranking officials from the Bolu special provincial administration.
Prosecutors are seeking up to 1,998 years in prison for 13 of the defendants each on charges of killing or wounding with possible intent.
Nihan Ece Mercan Hasarpa, a lawyer and the sister of one of the victims, Alp Mercan, expressed her frustration with the courtroom atmosphere in an interview with local media ahead of the hearing on July 8.
She accused Emir Aras, the general manager of the hotel and son-in-law of the owner, of sleeping through the hearing.
“My brother Alp and his best friend Yiğit went back into the burning hotel to rescue others after initially escaping. I am participating in the case as the lawyer of both of them and I am proud of it,” she said.
“However, it’s extremely infuriating to see one of the top hotel executives sleeping during the trial.”
Among those who gave their defense on the second day was Mehmet Özel, the former license inspection manager of the special provincial administration.
Özel said he held the position from 2010 to 2016, while the hotel received its license in 2007, asserting that he was not involved in issuing the license.
"The special provincial administration does not have authority or qualified personnel to inspect fire safety systems,” he said.
The second person to testify Cemal Özer, an accounting staff member at the hotel, who is among the detained defendants.
In his defense, Özer said he had previously accompanied firefighters during a safety inspection at the hotel and signed a form documenting various deficiencies.
Özer recounted that he later informed Aras of the identified problems.
“He reviewed the issues and said he would speak with authorities, but also got angry at us, saying, ‘You’ve landed me in trouble.’”
The emotionally charged trial is expected to last 12 more days.
