The owner of a Turkish hotel and 10 others have been sentenced to life in prison following the deadliest fire in the country's history. The blaze at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu broke out during school holidays in January, killing 78 people including 34 children. Owner Halit Ergül, his wife and two daughters were handed the maximum penalty after being found guilty of severe negligence, along with Bolu's deputy mayor and the local fire chief. In total, there were 32 people facing charges over the fire which tore through the building in the early hours of the morning, resulting in some residents jumping from the 12-storey building to escape the flames. Additionally, 137 people were injured in the incident at the northern mountain resort of Kartalkaya. Hilmi Altin, who lost his wife and nine-year-old daughter, expressed his grief: 'I go to the cemetery each day. No psychologist can ease such a pain.' An inquiry revealed that crucial safety equipment failed during the fire, and some of the gas installations did not comply with safety standards. Ergul denied responsibility and blamed the gas supplier, insisting that the hotel had regular inspections. A total of 18 other defendants received sentences ranging from 12 to 22 years, while some were acquitted, including two cooks. At the time of the disaster, the hotel was operating at high occupancy due to the school holidays, drawing many skiers from Istanbul and Ankara.