Turkiye was preparing to bury its dead on Wednesday a day after a huge fire killed 76 people at a ski resort hotel, as questions grew over safety measures at the luxury establishment.

Nine people have been detained, including the owner of the hotel, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

As the nation observed a day of mourning, dozens of families were preparing to bury their loved ones who died as the blaze ripped through the 12-storey hotel.

But alongside the grief, there was anger, with many newspapers publishing allegations of negligence at the mountaintop hotel in Kartalkaya, which lies about two hours northwest of Ankara.

“It was not the fire but the negligence which was responsible for so many deaths,” said the pro-government Hurriyet newspaper.

The fire, which began in the dead of night, struck at peak season for the Grand Kartal Hotel, which had 238 guests staying at the start of a two-week winter break.

The hotel expressed deep sorrow in a statement on Wednesday and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.

“We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of this incident,” the statement said. “We are deeply saddened by the losses and want you to know that we share this pain with all our hearts.”

More than 30 people remained in hospital on Wednesday, one of whom was in intensive care, officials said.

On a freezing foggy morning, with flags flying at half-mast, rescuers resumed their search of the charred and blackened structure on Wednesday, where Turkish media said entire families had died.

Among those who were to be buried on Wednesday was a neurologist, his wife and their three children, including twin boys.

‘Profoundly disturbing’