Uludağ Caravanserai Hotel Fire (2025)

27 March 2025, a fire broke out at the Kervansaray Hotel in the Uludağ Hotels Zone, affiliated with Bursa, Türkiye. In the fire, national skier Berkin Usta, who represented Türkiye at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, and his father Yahya Usta, President of the Türkiye Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association, lost their lives.

^{Uludağ Kervansaray Otel Yangını, 27 Mart 2025 - Anadolu Ajansı}

It was determined that the hotel where the fire occurred continued to operate despite its license having expired and its accommodation permit being revoked in January 2025.

Fire broke out at 05:29 on the morning of 27 March 2025 in the cafeteria section of the Kervansaray Hotel. The Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department responded within three minutes with 25 vehicles and 60 personnel. The response was coordinated with gendarmerie and AFAD units.

At the time of the incident, all 12 staff members inside the building were evacuated, but Yahya Usta, President of the Türkiye Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association, his wife Fikriye Usta, and their national athlete son Berkin Usta were removed from the building unconscious due to smoke inhalation. Despite all medical interventions at the hospital, Yahya and Berkin Usta could not be saved. Fikriye Usta was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Among those who lost their lives in the fire were national athlete Berkin Usta and his father Yahya Usta. Berkin Usta competed in the giant slalom discipline at the 2017 European Winter Youth Olympic Festival and achieved the best result for Türkiye. In 2021, he won a silver medal at the FIS Anatolia Cup and was one of the athletes representing Türkiye at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Approximately 12 hours before the fire, a social media post was made from the hotel’s fireplace. Yahya Usta, serving as President of the Türkiye Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association, was staying on the fifth floor of the hotel with his family when the fire occurred.

The tourism operating license for the Kervansaray Hotel had expired, its allocation within the National Parks had ended, and the municipality had not renewed its permit. As a result, the hotel was closed in January 2025. Nevertheless, it was found that the hotel continued to operate and that staff were present inside at the time of the fire.

Despite the revocation of its accommodation permit, the hotel’s continued operation has raised allegations of administrative negligence in public discourse.

A judicial investigation into the fire was launched by the Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office. A panel of experts comprising a chief prosecutor’s deputy, two public prosecutors, mechanical and electrical engineers, and fire department officials was appointed to determine the cause of the fire and identify potential responsible parties. Additionally, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security assigned inspectors to investigate the incident.

The fire occurred at the Kervansaray Hotel in the Uludağ Hotels Region of Bursa, Türkiye, on March 27, 2025. Among the victims were national skier Berkin Usta, who had represented Türkiye at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, his mother Fikriye Usta, and his father Yahya Usta, who served as the president of the Association of Ski and Snowboard Instructors of Türkiye.

_{Uludag Kervansaray Hotel Fire, March 27, 2025 - Anadolu Agency}

It was later determined that the hotel continued operations despite the expiration of its operating license and the cancellation of its accommodation permit in January 2025.

The fire began at 05:29 a.m. on the morning of March 27, 2025, in the cafeteria section of the Kervansaray Hotel. The Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department responded within three minutes, deploying 25 vehicles and 60 personnel. The response was coordinated with gendarmerie and AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) units.

All 12 staff members in the building at the time were evacuated. However, Yahya Usta, his wife Fikriye Usta, and their son Berkin Usta, unconscious due to smoke inhalation, were removed from the building. Despite intensive medical intervention, Yahya and Berkin Usta could not be saved. Fikriye Usta was hospitalized with severe injuries.

Among the deceased were national athlete Berkin Usta and his father Yahya Usta. Berkin Usta had competed in the giant slalom discipline at the 2017 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, achieving the best result for Türkiye. He won a silver medal at the FIS Anatolia Cup in 2021 and was one of the athletes representing Türkiye at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Approximately 12 hours before the fire, a social media post was shared from the hotel’s fireplace area. Yahya Usta, as the president of the Association of Ski and Snowboard Instructors of Türkiye, was staying with his family on the fifth floor of the hotel when the fire broke out.

The tourism operating license of the Kervansaray Hotel had expired, its allocation process under the National Parks had concluded, and its municipal permit had not been renewed. Therefore, the hotel was officially shut down in January 2025. Nevertheless, it continued to be used, and staff were present in the building at the time of the fire.

The fact that the hotel remained in operation despite the cancellation of its accommodation permit sparked public allegations of administrative negligence.

The Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a criminal investigation into the fire. A team of experts, including a deputy chief prosecutor, two public prosecutors, mechanical and electrical engineers, and fire department officials, was assigned to determine the cause of the fire and identify potential responsible parties. Additionally, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security appointed inspectors to investigate the incident.

Investigations into the point of origin determined that the incident began in the cafeteria section. Camera footage showed a small flame appearing at 05:22 and the fire rapidly spreading by 05:23. During technical examinations, it was alleged that the hotel manager had been grilling in the rear area shortly before the incident. According to this theory, the fire may have started when the exposed embers came into contact with a decorative flower placed near the fireplace, and this scenario is among the main ones under investigation.

The operating license for the Kervansaray Hotel, where the fire occurred, was revoked on 2 January 2025. Concurrently, the Osmangazi Municipality withdrew the business opening and operating permit on 2 February 2025. The hotel operator appealed these decisions to the administrative court. The court ruled to suspend enforcement, and following this, the municipality reissued the permit on 10 February 2025. During the same period, the Uludağ Regional Directorate requested an inspection of the hotel’s fire safety measures; numerous deficiencies were identified in the fire department inspection dated 27 January 2025. The prepared report was submitted to the municipality on 7 February 2025.

_{Uludağ Kervansaray Otel Yangını, 27 Mart 2025 - Anadolu Ajansı}

Following the incident, the initial judicial investigation led to the detention of the hotel manager. Subsequent investigations resulted in the detention of the hotel operating company’s manager and ski center employees, raising the total number of detentions to five.

According to the Bursa Public Prosecutor’s Office, the business owner Cevdet Kadir A., the hotel manager Tekin D., and ski center employees Mert Kaan Ç. and Eren T. were arrested; the property owner Zeynep T. and employee Tekin K. were released under judicial supervision. The arrested individuals were referred to penal institutions on charges of causing death and injury through negligence.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, in a statement made via his social media account, confirmed that the investigation into the fire was being conducted with thoroughness. Tunç stated that four individuals had been arrested and judicial supervision orders had been issued for two others. It was reported that the investigation was being carried out by the deputy public prosecutor and two prosecutors. Minister Tunç emphasized that efforts continue to fully clarify all aspects of the incident.

The funerals of Yahya Usta and Berkin Usta, who lost their lives in the incident, were brought to Ulu Cami after autopsy procedures at the Bursa Forensic Medicine Institution. In addition to family members, hotel operators from Uludağ, politicians, public officials, and citizens attended the funeral ceremony. After the funeral prayer led by the Provincial Mufti, father and son were buried at Hamitler Cemetery.

_{The bodies of the father and son who died in the hotel fire on Uludağ, 28 March 2025 - Anadolu Ajansı}