A fire broke out at a hotel in the Uludağ ski resort area in Türkiye’s Bursa early Thursday, killing two people and injuring another, officials said. The hotel had been shut down in January due to the expiration of its tourism license.
Authorities said the fire started for unknown reasons in the hotel, which had lost its basic accommodation permit and was no longer licensed by the municipality. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of the fire at 5:29 a.m.
Twelve people, including staff working at the hotel and ski center, were inside the building when the fire erupted. Among them were a ski instructor, his wife and their son, who were affected by smoke inhalation.
Yahya Usta, president of the Turkish Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association, his wife Fikriye and their son, national skier Berkin Usta, were rescued from the burning building unconscious and taken to a local medical center. Despite medical efforts, Yahya Usta and Berkin Usta succumbed to their injuries.
In a statement, the Bursa Governor’s Office confirmed that the fire was brought under control with the help of 110 personnel from various public institutions.
“Twelve individuals were rescued from the hotel. Unfortunately, two of them lost their lives,” the statement said. “We extend our condolences to the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
The Usta family operated a ski center in the area and had been staying on the fifth floor of the building, reports said.
The Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office assigned a team of experts, including mechanical and electrical engineers and fire safety officials, to investigate the cause of the fire. A deputy chief prosecutor and two prosecutors were also dispatched to the scene.
The Bursa Metropolitan Municipality said on social media that firefighters arrived within three minutes of receiving the emergency call. The fire department deployed 25 vehicles and 60 personnel, coordinating with gendarmerie and disaster response teams to contain the flames.
Hüseyin Bülbül, a security guard at another hotel in Uludağ, told the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) that he saw the fire while awake for pre-dawn Ramadan prayers.
“I saw lights outside and realized it was a fire. We alerted the authorities, and the fire department arrived quickly,” he said. “But they struggled to reach the back of the hotel because of the snow. Firefighters focused on the front entrance to rescue those trapped inside.”
Berkin Usta, a promising Turkish skier, had represented his country in multiple international competitions. He competed in the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, securing Türkiye’s best ranking in the men’s giant slalom event. In 2021, he won a silver medal at the FIS Alpine Skiing Anatolia Cup and was one of seven athletes representing Türkiye at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Before the Olympics, Usta spoke to AA about his lifelong dream of competing on the world stage.
“Despite the challenges, I earned the right to represent my country at the Beijing Olympics,” he said at the time. “I want to give my best performance and show that we belong among the best in the world.”
Just hours before the fatal fire, Usta had shared a video from Uludağ on social media.
The Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the launch of an investigation into the incident, stating that the fire’s cause and potential liabilities would be determined following expert analysis.
“The investigation is being conducted meticulously, and further details will be shared with the public,” the office said.