Fire safety in hotels on the agenda in Ankara: Were the deficiencies only just noticed?

In the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel at the Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Center, where the nightly rate was alleged to be 30 thousand liras, 78 people lost their lives. The absence of a fire escape and the failure to implement many fire safety measures at the hotel had drawn attention. Guests staying at the hotel, which lacked a fire escape, had tried to escape the fire by their own means.

MEASURES CAME LATE

Following the fire, it was observed that a fire escape was being installed at the Grand Ankara Hotel in Ankara. It drew attention that the hotel, which states in the "About Us" section of its website, “Our hotel, which prioritizes flawless service quality, aims to provide you with memorable moments with its friendly staff,” waited for such a major fire to install fire escapes. Citizens shared their views on the installation of the fire escape.

“THE FIRE ESCAPE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT BEFORE, NOT NOW”

Türkan Bacanak, who stated that a family she knew lost their lives in Bolu, said, “2 children and their parents perished there. We are very saddened. There is a lot of negligence. Can a large hotel be subject to such negligence? Are there no inspections at all? Is there no fire escape at all? So many people lost their lives. I am very sad. This fire escape should have been built before, not now. So many people have come and gone, how can there be such negligence? People would have gone down from there and been saved. So many people are gone. It is a sad event. May God help everyone, but there is a lot of negligence. Would it have been like this if the inspections were regular? We also work, but we are constantly inspected, and we work in accordance with the rules. How can those places be neglected? How can people trust their lives and go there?”

“IF THERE HAD BEEN AN INSPECTION, A REAL INSPECTION, SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE DIED”

Zeki Kuru, who stated that he had worked in the tourism sector for 30 years, noted that it was too late to build a fire escape, saying, “It should have been built while the hotel was being constructed. Today, every hotel has fire equipment and detectors at the back. It is something that has been left too late. There is also huge negligence in the fire. I have inspected hundreds of hotels like them. This fire escape does not meet the criteria. The staircase should be at the back. Because it was built at the front. It should be either on the right or on the left. Because people would have a 100 percent chance of being saved from the back. Also, detectors are a must. It is a pity for the people who died. If there had been an inspection, a real inspection, so many people would not have died.”

News Source: 12punto