Seventy-six dead in Turkish hotel fire

A devastating fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya, Turkey, has resulted in at least 76 fatalities and 51 injuries, occurring just before the winter school break when the hotel was at full capacity. Witnesses described horrific scenes of people trapped in smoke-filled rooms, with some forced to jump from windows to escape the flames. The fire reportedly began on the fourth floor and quickly spread, leading to a chaotic rescue effort complicated by the hotel's cliffside location. Authorities have launched an investigation, detaining nine individuals, including the hotel owner. Flags across Turkey have been lowered to half-staff in mourning for the victims, and only 45 of the deceased have been identified as of now. The incident has raised serious concerns about fire safety protocols, given the hotel's previous inspections without noted issues.