26.02.2026 22:05
The trial regarding the fire that broke out in a hotel that was closed due to deficiencies found during inspections in Uludağ, which resulted in the deaths of Yahya Üsta, the President of the Turkish Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association and a former national skier, his son, national skier Berkin Üsta, and his wife, Fikriye Üsta, was held. During the hearing, a travel ban abroad and house arrest were imposed on the detained defendants Cevdet Kadir A. and Tekin D.
The first hearing regarding the fire that broke out in the hotel, which was closed due to deficiencies found during inspections in Bursa Uludağ and resulted in the deaths of 3 people, was held at the 20th High Criminal Court.
During the inspections conducted at Uludağ, Turkey's first ski resort, a fire broke out at the Kervansaray Hotel in the 1st Region, which was closed due to 38 deficiencies identified in 'architecture', 'fire installation', and 'fire detection' systems, around 05:00 on March 27, 2025. Firefighters and AFAD teams from Uludağ intervened in the fire, and reinforcement teams were dispatched from Bursa. The flames engulfing the building were extinguished, and 9 people affected by smoke were evacuated. Yahya Üsta, the President of the Turkey Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association and a former national skier, lost his life along with his son, national skier Berkin Üsta, while his wife, Fikriye Üsta, was injured. Fikriye Üsta also passed away 6 days later in the hospital where she was being treated.
FIRE'S OUTBREAK MOMENT CAPTURED ON CAMERA
The moment of the fire's outbreak was captured by the hotel's security camera. The footage shows sparks flying from a barbecue left by a group of hotel staff and employees selling ski equipment near the chimney on the veranda of the café-restaurant section at the back of the hotel. It was observed that a spark from the glowing barbecue at 05:22 ignited the ornamental plant right next to the chimney.
4 SUSPECTS ARRESTED
In the investigation where the Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor and 2 prosecutors were assigned regarding the fire, 5 suspects, including the business owner, the business manager, and a ski room employee, as well as the property owner of the hotel, were detained. After their procedures, the suspects were brought to court on charges of 'causing death and injury by negligence.' Cevdet Kadir A., the owner of the operating company, and hotel manager Tekin D., along with ski resort employees Eren T. and Mert Kaan Ç., were arrested, while 2 others were released under judicial control.
HOTEL SEALED
After the inspections conducted by the inspector assigned by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the hotel was sealed by the Osmangazi Municipality's Zoning Directorate teams. The gendarmerie took extensive security measures around the hotel, and an expert committee also conducted an examination. While the investigation continued, it was learned from the 74-page expert report prepared 7 months after the incident that the 'FB Usta' company, owned by a former national ski coach, was found to be 'primarily at fault' as the tenant of the café section where the fire broke out. The indictment prepared by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the tenant of the hotel was Jura Hospitality, and that Kervansaray Investment Holding A.Ş. had no legal responsibility or binding obligation.
SNOWMOBILES INTENSIFIED THE FIRE
The expert report included in the indictment noted that the starting area of the fire was identified as the ski room and the areas connecting this room to the café section, and that the responsibility for these areas lay with the FB Usta company. It was stated that the snowmobiles left filled with fuel in these areas intensified the fire. The indictment recorded that the FB Usta company was 'primarily at fault' due to its actions and negligence, while Jura Hospitality, which did not rectify the deficiencies despite inspections, was noted to be 'secondarily at fault.'
INSULATION AND POLYMER MATERIALS BURNED AND MELTED
The 8-page indictment also revealed the spread of the fire. According to the indictment, the fire started from at least 2 different areas and spread to other areas, moving through the café area ceiling, which contained parked snowmobiles, towards the outside of the building and the awning area, and began to accumulate on the awning ceiling after passing through the lenton. It was also noted that the gas leaking due to the integrity of the pipes leading to the natural gas heaters was increased by the fire, and that the fuel inside the parked snowmobiles in the café area intensified the flames and accelerated the spread.
UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON SOUGHT
The indictment stated that on the date of the incident, Cevdet Kadir A., the owner of Jura Hospitality, and Tekin D., the hotel manager, failed to rectify the deficiencies identified during inspections and did not take precautions, leading to the deaths of Berkin, Fikriye, and Yahya Kemal Üsta in the hotel during the fire. They were charged with 'causing the death of multiple persons by conscious negligence,' with a request for a prison sentence of 2 to 15 years.
DECISION OF 'NO PROSECUTION' FOR 7 PEOPLE
A decision of 'no prosecution' was made regarding Yahya Üsta's company FB Usta employees Tekin K., Mert Kaan Ç., and Eren T., who were detained for a while and later released, as well as Zeynep T., an official of Kervansaray Investment Holding A.Ş., and the hotel's cleaning staff Mehmet Faruk Ç. and Ahmet İ., as well as the official of the company operating the hotel's bar and kitchen, Rafet Alpan Y., for the charge of 'causing death and injury by negligence.'
HOUSE ARREST DECISION ISSUED
The trial of Cevdet Kadir A. and Tekin D. was held at the Bursa 20th High Criminal Court. Due to the small size of the courtroom, press members were not allowed to attend the hearing, which was attended by the detained defendants, as well as the lawyers of the parties and witnesses.
At the end of the approximately 7-hour hearing, the panel issued a decision for a travel ban and house arrest for the defendants. On the other hand, the hearing was postponed for the completion of missing documents.