ANKARA, Turkey - The death toll in the devastating fire at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey, midway between Ankara and Istanbul, has risen to 79.

The number injured has climbed to more than fifty, with many of those injured in serious condition.

Fire broke out at the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in Turkey's Blu Province in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

"It was like the apocalypse. The flames engulfed the hotel immediately, like in half an hour," Mevlut Ozer, a witnss at the scene told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday.

Dozens of fire brigades and ambulances were called to the scene around 3:30am Tuesday. The hotel had 238 in-house guests at the time of the fire, most of them families.

It reportedly took firefighters 45 minutes to reach the scene, after which they battled the blaze for several hours before bringing it under control.

A number of people reportedly jumped from the burning building rather than being consumed by fire. Some survived with crippling injuries. Officials say two of those that jumped have died. Unoffical reports say the number has increased to 3.

An investigation into the fire, which was still smouldering by early Tuesday afternoon, is underway, with nine people so far arrested. 6 prosectors have been assigned to the case.

France 24 is reporting there was no sprinkler system in the rooms of the hotel, and the fire alarm system did not work. This contrasts with a statement by the Tourism minister. "The hotel has a fire safety certificate issued by the fire department. Regular inspections must be carried out by the fire department," Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey's tourism chief said Tuesday,

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement earlier in the day that anyone found responsible for the fire, or who displayed negligence, would face justice.

"Four people, including the owner of the facility, have been detained at the first stage. I must, above all, say that those who have any responsibility, any negligence, or any fault in the occurrence of such a disaster will be brought to justice at all costs," he said.