08.07.2025 09:30
The second day of the trial for the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Bolu, which claimed the lives of 78 people, began with the defendants' statements. Nihan Ece Mercen Hasarpa, the sister of Alp Mercan, who lost his life in the fire, said, "In front of us, there is a sleeping Emir Aras. There is the hotel manager. He is also the son-in-law of the company. He sleeps throughout the trial. It really is a situation that gets on people's nerves."
The trial of 32 defendants, including the hotel owner and municipal officials, continues regarding the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort, which resulted in the death of 78 people and injuries to 133 others. The second day of the trial began at 09:15 on the first day. Comprehensive security measures were taken around the courtroom at Bolu Social Sciences High School. The trial continues on the second day with the defendants' defenses.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort on January 21, 78 people lost their lives, and 133 people were injured.
In the 98-page indictment prepared by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and accepted by the 1st Heavy Penal Court, hotel owners, board members, and managers Halit Ergül, Emine Mürtezaoğlu 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 facing a total of up to 1998 years in prison for 78 counts of "intentional killing with probable intent" and "intentional injury with probable intent."
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 are also facing up to 22 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of multiple people with conscious negligence."