28.10.2025 13:05
In the second session of the third hearing of the trial involving 137 people related to the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Bolu, which claimed the lives of 78 individuals, the statements of Duygu Can, who lost two children in the tragedy, were heart-wrenching. Can said, "Elif Aras, you dressed your child so they wouldn't get cold, but when I was washing my daughter, I covered her up. When I was washing my son, I couldn't wash his eyes because I was afraid water would get in."
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In the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Bolu, where 78 people lost their lives and 137 were injured, the second session of the third hearing of the case, in which 32 defendants, 20 of whom are detained, are being tried, continues to take statements from the parties regarding the merits of the case.
"MY DOOMSDAY CAME ON JANUARY 21"
Gözdem Güngör Derin, who lost her brother Kıvanç, her wife Burcu, and her nephews Kerem and Pelin Güngör, said, "My doomsday came on January 21. They made us live this. I am waiting for a precedent and the decision of the century. You turned our day into night. You will not see the light of day either. You will not be able to roam freely. Until your last breath, my breath will be on your neck."
"THEY DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY, NOT INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE"
Şaban Filiz, who lost his son-in-law Kıvanç, daughter Burcu, and grandchildren in the fire disaster, said, "I lost 4 of my children. My daughter, my son-in-law, and 2 of my grandchildren. They had dreams. They took away my children's right to live. Wasn't there a hero? Who managed the fire? Halit Ergül, where were you? They deserve the death penalty, not intentional homicide," he said.
"I COVERED MY DAUGHTER WHILE WASHING HER"
Duygu Can, a grieving mother who lost her children Nehir and Doruk in the fire, said, "This case is a case of the smell of death. You are child murderers. You are the murderers of 36 children and 78 people. Elif Aras, you dressed your child so she wouldn't get cold, but I covered my daughter while washing her. I couldn't wash my son's eyes while washing him, so the water wouldn't get in. My son doesn't like water getting in his eyes. May God give you all your due. I trust in the fathers' curse. In the other world, our hands will be on your necks," she said.
The statements of other complainants and their lawyers were taken. After the break, the defendants' statements regarding the merits will be taken.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Center on January 21, 78 people lost their lives, and 137 were injured.
In the 98-page indictment prepared by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and accepted by the 1st Heavy Criminal Court, the hotel owners, members of the company's board of directors, and managers Halit Ergül, Emine Murtezaoğlu Ergül, Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, Elif Aras, Emir Aras, Zeki Yılmaz, Ahmet Demir, Kadir Özdemir, Cemal Özer, Mehmet Salun, Bolu Municipality Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, Acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, and firefighter İrfan Acar are requested to be sentenced to a total of up to 1998 years in prison for "intentional homicide with probable intent" and "intentional injury with probable intent" for 78 counts.
The technical staff of the hotel, Tahsin Pekcan, Hüseyin Özer, and Bayram Ütkü, kitchen staff Reşat Bölük, Enver Öztürk, and Faysal Yaver, occupational safety experts Kübra Demir and Ece Kayacan, receptionist Yiğithan Burak Çetin, officials of Mudurnu Energy Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company İbrahim Polat and İsmail Karagöz, officials of FQC Global Certification Joint Stock Company Ali Ağaoğlu and employee Aleyna Beşinci, LPG installation maintenance staff Doğan Aydın and Muharrem Şen, General Secretary of the Provincial Special Administration Sırrı Köstereli, Deputy General Secretary of the Provincial Special Administration Bünyamin Bal, Provincial Special Administration License and Inspection Director Yeliz Erdoğan, and former Provincial Special Administration License and Inspection Director Mehmet Özel are also requested to be sentenced to up to 22 years and 6 months in prison for "causing the death and injury of multiple people with conscious negligence."
OPINION
In the opinion sent to the court by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office after the first hearing, it was requested that hotel owner Ergül, the company's general manager Aras, Gazelle Hotel General Manager Ahmet Demir, and the hotel's accounting manager Özdemir be sentenced to 1950 years for 78 counts of "intentional homicide with probable intent," and up to 178 years and 582 months for "intentional injury with probable intent" and "intentional damage to qualified property."
For Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener and Acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, the same sentences of up to 1950 years and 176 years and 570 months were requested, while for firefighter İrfan Acar, a sentence of up to 1950 years and 172 years and 546 months was requested.
In the opinion, it was requested that members of the company's board of directors Emine Murtezaoğlu Ergül, Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, and Elif Aras, hotel manager Zeki Yılmaz, accounting staff Cemal Özer and Mehmet Salun, technical staff Tahsin Pekcan, Hüseyin Özer, Bayram Ütkü, kitchen staff Faysal Yaver and Reşat Bölük, occupational safety experts Kübra Demir and Ece Kayacan, receptionist Yiğithan Burak Çetin, officials of Mudurnu Energy Industry and Trade Joint Stock Company İbrahim Polat and İsmail Karagöz, officials of FQC Global Certification Joint Stock Company Ali Ağaoğlu and employee Aleyna Beşinci, LPG installation maintenance staff Doğan Aydın and Muharrem Şen be sentenced to up to 22 years and 6 months in prison for "causing the death and injury of multiple people with conscious negligence."
In the opinion, it was requested that General Secretary of the Provincial Special Administration Sırrı Köstereli, Deputy General Secretary of the Provincial Special Administration Bünyamin Bal, Provincial Special Administration License and Inspection Director Yeliz Erdoğan, and former Provincial Special Administration License and Inspection Director Mehmet Özel be sentenced to 2 to 15 years in prison for "causing the death and injury of multiple people with negligence," while the acquittal of the kitchen staff Enver Öztürk, who is not in custody, was requested.
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