Slapped with a Seal: 174 Turkish Hotels Shut Down Over Fire Safety Issues
Over 174 resort hotels in Turkey have temporarily shut down as part of the ongoing measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a drastic move to ensure safety, officials in the lively city of Antalya, Turkey, have locked down a whopping 174 hotels in the Muratpasha district, according to Lit.kz, citing RIA.
The action came following a heartbreaking fire incident at a resort in Bolu province back in January. Inspections were carried out by the Turkish Ministry of Tourism to root out any safety loopholes. Out of 294 hotels with tourism certificates in the Muratpasha district, a staggering 174 were identified as non-compliant.
After setting a deadline of May 31 for the hotels to rectify the safety lapses and secure a fire service report, the authorities extended the deadline by a generous 50 days. When the extended deadline expired on June 2, the sealing process of the non-compliant hotels began.
Here's some insight from the prefecture, echoing in a press release: "Despite extending the deadline by 50 days in good faith, the process of rectifying fire safety shortcomings was suspended on May 31 at 5:30 PM, and the sealing of 174 hotels began on June 2."
Hotel owners have been put on notice, warned of penalties if they persist in operating even with the ban. It appears that the total number of hotels in Turkey temporarily shut down due to fire safety violations is edging ever closer to 700.
Meanwhile, Turkey's citizens have been encouraged to offer their opinions and insights through public debates.
Bonus Tidbit:The Kartalkaya hotel fire disaster back in January 2025 has stoked concerns regarding the fire safety standards of hotels in Turkey, but recent data on temporary hotel shutdowns due to fire safety violations from June 2022 remains elusive without specific sources or official reports.
Tourists planning a getaway in Antalya, Turkey, may find a shift in the local lifestyle as 174 hotels in the Muratpasha district are temporarily closed over fire safety issues. This closure has led to a change in travel plans for some, potentially impacting the tourist-driven local economy.
