31.10.2025 15:12
A verdict has been reached in the case of the hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya, which resulted in the deaths of 78 people. In this case, where no reductions were applied to the sentences, Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener was sentenced to 34 aggravated life sentences for the 34 deceased children, and 44 life sentences for the other deceased individuals.
In the third hearing of the case regarding the fire at Grand Kartal Hotel, which resulted in the death of 78 people and injuries to 137 others, a decision was announced for 32 defendants, including the hotel owner and municipal officials, 20 of whom are in custody.
The court panel sentenced the detained defendants, including hotel owner Halit Ergül, Grand Kartal A.Ş. board members Emir Aras, Emine Murtezaoğlu Ergül, Elif Aras, Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, hotel manager Zeki Yılmaz, accounting manager Kadir Özdemir, Gazelle Hotel manager Ahmet Demir, Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, and firefighter İrfan Acar.
PENALTIES WERE GIVEN SEPARATELY FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
The panel sentenced 11 defendants to aggravated life imprisonment for each of the 34 children who lost their lives, and 44 life sentences for the other deceased individuals. Two individuals who were being tried without detention were also arrested with the decision.
DECISIONS WERE MET WITH APPLAUSE
The reading of the decision took 13 minutes. The announcement of the penalties was met with applause in the hall. The prosecutor had requested a prison sentence of up to 22 years and 6 months for the hotel owner's wife and two daughters for the crime of "causing the death and injury of multiple people with conscious negligence." However, the court also sentenced them to aggravated life imprisonment.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In the fire that broke out at Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort on January 21, 78 people lost their lives, and 137 others were injured.
In the 98-page indictment prepared by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and accepted by the 1st Heavy Penal Court, the hotel owners, board members, and managers Halit Ergül, Emine Murtezaoğlu Ergül, Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, Elif Aras, Emir Aras, Zeki Yılmaz, Ahmet Demir, Kadir Özdemir, Cemal Özer, Mehmet Salun, Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, and firefighter İrfan Acar were charged with "manslaughter with probable intent" and "intentional injury with probable intent," with a total prison sentence of up to 1998 years requested.
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 Inc. İbrahim Polat and İsmail Karagöz, FQC Global Certification Inc. official 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 were also requested to be sentenced 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 session, 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 "manslaughter 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 crimes were requested to be punished with up to 1950 years and 176 years and 570 months, while firefighter İrfan Acar faced a request for a prison sentence of up to 1950 years and 172 years and 546 months.
In the opinion, it was requested that board members 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 Inc. İbrahim Polat and İsmail Karagöz, FQC Global Certification Inc. official Ali Ağaoğlu and employee Aleyna Beşinci, LPG installation maintenance staff Doğan Aydın and Muharrem Şen be sentenced to 22 years and 6 months in prison for "causing the death and injury of multiple people with conscious negligence."
It was requested in the opinion that the 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 non-detained kitchen staff Enver Öztürk was requested.