Overview
- A Bolu court issued aggravated life sentences linked to the child deaths, with additional prison time for the other fatalities.
- Those convicted include hotel owner Halit Ergul, his wife and two daughters, hotel managers, a deputy mayor and a deputy fire chief, among 32 total defendants with 20 held before trial.
- The January 21 blaze struck as 238 guests occupied the 12‑storey Grand Kartal Hotel, killing 78 people including 34 children and injuring more than 100.
- The indictment says a spark from an electric grill ignited a trash bin and ruptured an LPG hose at 3:17 a.m., rapidly intensifying the fire.
- Investigators detailed absent sprinklers, faulty alarms, no smoke extraction or emergency lighting, and inadequate training that impeded evacuation, while families welcomed the verdict and appeals are expected.