Six-storey resort had its accommodation permit taken away in January after ‘problems’

AN Olympic star and his dad have died in a fire at a ski resort hotel.

The skiing world is in mourning after the death of Berkin Usta in his Turkish home city

Man in white jacket at the Beijing Olympics.

Tragic Berkin Usta was a competitor at the 2022 Olympics

Hotel engulfed in flames.

A fatal fire gutted the top three of the hotel’s six storeys

Fire-damaged hotel in Uludag, Bursa.

The blaze at the popular Turkish resort is being investigated

Alpine skier Berkin Usta of Turkey competing in a race.

Usta competed in the 2017 European Youth Olympics Winter Festival

The Kervansaray Hotel in Uludag, Bursa, had its accommodation permit cancelled in January, the local governor´s office said.

However, city officials added that 12 staff were present at the time of the blaze.

Several people were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

The circumstances behind Usta and his father staying at the hotel have not been made clear.

Prosecutors are now investigating the two deaths.

Just two months ago, a horrific blaze at another Turkish ski hotel during the school holidays led to 79 people deaths.

The fire which killed Usta and his 57-year-old dad Yahya is said to have started at 5.30am.

Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey stated that the blaze started in the cafeteria.

Hotel engulfed in flames.

Flames engulfed the hotel at around 5.30am on Thursday

Yahya’s wife was also reportedly staying at the six-storey Kervansaray Hotel.

But so far no information has been given on her condition.

Olympic skier Berkin Usta in a red ski jacket.

Usta had followed his dad into alpine skiing

A person in a blue jacket and goggles takes a selfie with a snowmobiler in the snowy mountains.

He shared many sporting snaps on social media

TV images showed flames rapidly engulfing the hotel.

Fire crews took less than two hours to bring the fire under control.

But by then the upper floors had been virtually destroyed.

Only hours before the tragedy, Usta had added a cosy-looking video by a log fire to his Instagram story.

Usta had followed his dad by becoming a national alpine skiier.

He competed at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was a founder of the Skicraft team.

Usta Senior was president of the Turkish Ski and Snowboard Teachers Association.

Turkey’s sports minister Osman Askin Bak said: “I learned with deep sorrow that our national athlete Berkin Usta and his father Yahya Usta lost their lives in the fire that broke out in the hotel in Uludag.”