Olympic Skier Dead In Hotel Fire

Olympic skier Berkin Usta, age 24, tragically lost his life on Thursday in a fire that broke out at a ski resort hotel in Turkey. The devastating event took place at the Kervansaray Hotel in Uludag, Bursa, when the fire spread through the building in the early morning, destroying the desert.

Usta began his career with the 16 Sports Club in Bursa. He later went on to compete in several events, including the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China in 2022. His father, a former skier who served as the president of the Turkish Ski and Snowboard Teachers Association, also perished in the fire.

According to TMZ, Bursa mayor Mustafa Bozbey said the fire started in the hotel’s cafeteria, which had been closed after permits were revoked. It is currently unknown why Usta and his dad, along with several staffers, were at that location.

"We conducted an inspection of this hotel in January. We identified deficiencies and shared them with the relevant institutions," Mayor Bozbey said. "There was information that the hotel was closed. It is being investigated why there were 12 people inside. If this is negligence, it must be revealed."

The incident comes just months after a deadly fire at the Kartalkaya resort in Turkey's Köroğlu Mountains killed 78 people and left another 51 injured. That incident led to more than 2 dozen arrests due to lax safety protocols. 

TMZ reports that twelve more people were injured in the fire that claimed Usta's life.