Turkish and international media report that a fire which started early on 20 January in a hotel in a ski resort near Bolu has led to 76 deaths. Mountain roads delayed the arrival of the emergency services, which took an hour to arrive.

Lessons must be learned from this tragedy.

Under the Turkish code this hotel should have been protected with sprinklers but it was not. It was also reported that the fire detection and alarm system did not work and that escape routes were inadequate.

TMMOB, the Turkish Chamber of Mechanical Engineers issued a strongly worded statement pointing out among other things that under Chapter 10 Article 165(d) of the Turkish Regulation of Fire Protection in Buildings, sprinklers are required in existing hotels if they have more than two storeys and more than 200 beds. This 12-storey hotel had 350 beds.

NFPA data show zero deaths from fires in hotels protected with sprinkler systems.