The north on Tuesday night announced it would remain in a period of mourning until sunset on Wednesday following the deaths of 76 people in a fire in a hotel at the popular Turkish ski resort of Kartalkaya, in the Bolu province.

The fire broke out at the Grand Kartal hotel at around 3.30am local time (2.30am in Cyprus) on Tuesday, with eyewitnesses reporting that the wood-fronted building was “immediately engulfed in flames”.

Some were forced to jump from the hotel’s windows in an attempt to save their lives, while others attempted to climb down using bedsheets.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed on Tuesday evening that nine people remain in police custody after having been detained following the fire, while Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the hotel did have the relevant fire certificates.

He added that investigations into the potential causes of the fire have begun.

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, the north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel, and opposition party CTP leader Tufan Erhurman have all offered their condolences to those impacted by the fire.

Wednesday has also been declared a day of national mourning in Turkey by the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.