According to materials from the Bolu Prosecutor’s Office and witness testimonies published in Sabah, the fire broke out on the morning of January 21 in the hotel’s restaurant kitchen, which was located on one of the lower floors of the building.
The incident occurred during breakfast preparation. As per the investigation, chef Faisal Yaver and his assistants were using a grill when the overheated oil suddenly ignited. Instead of covering the flames with a lid or using fire extinguishers, the kitchen staff, in a state of panic, attempted to put out the fire with water. This only worsened the situation, causing the burning oil to spread in multiple directions and increasing the scale of the fire. The flames quickly spread throughout the building via ventilation ducts.
Unable to contain the fire, the kitchen staff evacuated the premises without taking further action.
“The lack of basic fire safety knowledge among the staff regarding how to extinguish burning oil was a key factor in the fire engulfing the entire hotel and leading to devastating consequences,” the statement said.
