78 lives lost to negligence in Bolu: If the hotel charging 30,000 TL per night had spent 6,000 TL per room, the disaster could have been prevented

The hotel fire disaster in Bolu Kartalkaya, which claimed the lives of 78 citizens, has opened up a debate about the measures that should be taken against fire in hotels and the cost of these measures. So, what is the cost of fire detection and warning systems in hotels? Experts emphasize that the cost of such measures is extremely low when compared to nightly accommodation prices.

According to the report by Hürriyet, it is stated that the total cost for the fire warning system of the 161 rooms at the Grand Kartal Hotel is 1 million TL. This corresponds to a figure of approximately 6,210 TL per room.

However, considering that the average cost of a one-night stay at this hotel is 30,000 TL, it becomes clear what a reasonable expenditure such measures would have been to prevent the disaster.

PRICES OF FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS

The Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) states that the total cost of fire safety systems can reach 3 million TL in some cases.

Fire Extinguishers: The cost of a 12-kilogram fire extinguisher is at most 1,200 TL.

Fire Alarm Systems: While these systems have a cost between 50,000 TL and 100,000 TL in a 50-room hotel, this figure can go up to 250,000 TL in large hotels with more than 150 rooms.

Sprinkler Systems: The cost per square meter varies between 300 TL and 600 TL. This corresponds to a cost of approximately 75,000 TL in a small hotel and 150,000 TL in large hotels. However, for these systems to be effective, they must be present in every area of the hotel.

Fire Escapes: As of 2025, the cost of fire escapes per square meter has reached 4,500 TL.

The fact that such systems, which can save lives during a fire, have extremely affordable costs relative to hotel revenues is once again coming to light.