Olympic Skier Berkin Usta and Father Die in Turkish Hotel Fire

The fire at the closed Kervansaray Hotel has prompted an investigation into safety violations and the presence of individuals in the shuttered facility.

Berkin Usta, a 25-year-old Olympic skier who competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and his father, Yahya Usta, were killed in a fire on March 27 at the Kervansaray Hotel in Uludag, Turkey.
The hotel had been closed since January 2025 after its accommodation permit was revoked due to safety violations, yet 12 staff members and the Usta family were present at the time of the fire.
The fire began in the cafeteria at 5:30 a.m., spread quickly through the six-story building, and was brought under control within two hours, though the upper floors were severely damaged.
The hotel manager has been detained as part of an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the fire and potential negligence.
This tragedy follows a similar deadly fire at another Turkish ski resort earlier in 2025, raising broader concerns about safety standards at such facilities.