22.01.2025 18:31
Mete Tunç Boduroğlu, who survived the devastating fire tragedy that struck Turkey, shared his experiences from his hospital bed. The account of the grieving father, who lost his entire family, once again highlighted the magnitude of the disaster.
Turkey was devastated by the news of a fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu Kartalkaya early yesterday morning. In the fire that broke out in the hotel, which was 90% full, 76 of our citizens lost their lives. The story of Mete Tunç Boduroğlu, who lost his entire family in the fire and was able to escape injured, once again revealed the extent of the tragedy he experienced to escape the flames.
HE DESCRIBED THE MOMENT OF TERROR FROM HIS HOSPITAL BED
The grieving father, who said, "We held onto the window for minutes to escape. I did everything to protect my children," recounted his experience from his hospital bed as follows:
"We were going room by room, there were other people too. The windows were not broken; breaking the window was not right because the flames would go out faster. I found a room with an unbroken window and took Alican out; he was holding onto the railing from the side.
Elif and Ebru were in the same situation. Elif couldn't hold on, so I took Ebru out, and she also went. They were hanging from the balcony; of course, they couldn't hold on. The smoke was going wherever the wind blew. I told my son Alican, 'Come on, let's move over,' but he told me he felt very bad. I told him to hold onto me.
"ALICAN SLIPPED AWAY FROM MY HANDS, I JUMPED AFTER HIM"
I had completely submerged myself in the water. He held onto me, and this time we went to the next room where a child was crying; it was a baby. I took him and we went to the window. I was on the right side, my daughter was on the left side. Alican was to my left. He said his arms were hurting and he couldn't hold on anymore.
I told him to hold on and wait; when my daughter died, I took Alican and jumped to the lower floor. At that moment, Alican was on top of me, and my bones broke there. Alican slipped away from my hands, and then I jumped. I crashed down six floors."