10.07.2025 01:10
In the case regarding the fire disaster in Bolu Kartalkaya, which claimed the lives of 78 people, the detained defendant, assistant chef Faysal Yaver, made striking statements during his defense in court. Yaver said, "I did not turn on the grill plate device; I would have needed to enter the show area to do that. There was a fire extinguisher right in front of us, but we couldn't see it."
In the Grand Kartal Hotel fire at Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Resort, which resulted in the deaths of 78 people and injuries to 133 others, the trial of 32 defendants, including the hotel owner and municipal officials, continued on its third day, with the hotel’s kitchen staff providing their defense.
STATEMENT OF THE HOTEL'S CHEF ASSISTANT TAKEN
In the courtroom specially set up in the gymnasium of Bolu Social Sciences High School, the statement of detained defendant Faysal Yaver, the chef assistant of Grand Kartal Hotel, was taken by the Bolu 1st Heavy Penal Court.
In his defense, Yaver said: "I had been working as a breakfast chef assistant for a month. We were preparing for breakfast. A fire broke out, and there was panic all of a sudden. I said to call Reşat Usta and inform him. I was staying on the 2nd floor. I went down to the second floor, where my colleagues were. I started shouting, 'There is a fire.' I went down to the garage area, but the iron door was closed. I don't know how it opens or closes. I tried to go back inside but couldn't. We tried to open the garage door, but we couldn't.
"WE COULDN'T SEE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN FRONT OF OUR EYES"
Then the door opened, and we went outside. We waited there for about 10 minutes. With the guidance of my friends, we went to the customer entrance door. Most of the customers had already come down, and they had closed the reception door. I tried to help people. There is a counter in front of the grill plate, and their switch is at the back. The switch for the grill plate device is also at the back. This device is cleaned by the cleaning team. I did not turn on the grill plate device; I would need to enter the show area to turn it on. There was a fire extinguisher in front of our eyes, but we couldn't see it."