A tragic fire has claimed the lives of 66 people at a well-known ski resort in northwestern Turkey, with many guests resorting to jumping from windows to escape the inferno. The incident has left the community in shock, bringing attention to the need for increased safety measures in such establishments.

The fire reportedly ignited overnight at the resort’s main restaurant located in the Bolu province, as shared by the country’s interior ministry. According to reports from Turkish media, the blaze started on the fourth floor of the expansive 11-storey hotel around 3:30 in the morning.

Disturbing footage showed the upper floors and the hotel roof consumed by flames, as desperate guests attempted to escape by climbing down using bed sheets tied together. The harrowing scene depicted people taking extreme measures to avoid the encroaching fire.

One eyewitness described the chaos as the fire suddenly erupted, with guests frantically jumping from the eleventh floor to save themselves. Among the more heart-wrenching accounts, a resident shared the story of a father, beside himself with fear, shouting for his one-year-old left inside, contemplating the dire decision to throw the child from a window to avoid the advancing blaze.

The heartbreaking incident has left 51 people injured, and there’s fear that the number could rise further. The tragedy has shone a light on the critical need for stringent fire safety regulations and disaster preparedness in crowded public buildings.