A massive blaze swept through an oceanfront holiday resort in the coastal district of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on Saturday, claiming at least 10 lives and leaving 9 individuals injured. The deadly inferno erupted at approximately 6:30 am inside Tuptup Resto and Resort, situated in the Inani area adjacent to Patuartek beach along the scenic Marine Drive. Mohammad Atiqur Rahman Mazumder, the head of the Ukhiya police station, noted that rescue teams rushed to the site shortly after the flames broke out. Later that day, around 1:30 pm, fire service spokesperson Talha Bin Jasim confirmed that 10 bodies had been recovered from the ruins alongside 9 people suffering from various injuries.
Flammable Wooden Architecture Accelerated the Blaze
Constructed primarily from traditional bamboo and treated wood, the three-storey holiday establishment offered little resistance against the flames. Located nearly 29 kilometres away from Kolatoli near the seaside town's main entry point, the resort was hosting around 30 guests and workers when disaster struck. Because the fire started during early morning hours, several residents were asleep inside their quarters. Only four to five occupants managed to scramble out of the burning structure in time, leaving the rest trapped within the fast-spreading conflagration.
The fire department faced severe hurdles containing the combustion fueled by wooden material. Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, deputy assistant director of the Cox's Bazar Fire Service, stated that the entire building was completely gutted and reduced to ashes. Visuals from the tragic incident were also circulated on X by witnesses, demonstrating the ferocity with which the fire consumed the multi-level establishment.
Victims Rushed to Hospital as Cause Remains Under Review
Emergency medical personnel shifted nine injured survivors to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for emergency treatment. Detailing the physical condition of the victims, Resident Medical Officer Sabuktagin Mahmud Sohel explained that five patients sustained burns across roughly 5 percent of their bodies. He added that another individual was hurt after taking a fall during the chaos, receiving immediate first aid before being discharged, while the five burn patients remain admitted under close observation.
Authorities now face the grim responsibility of confirming the identities of those who perished. Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner A. Mannan announced that forensic teams will gather DNA samples from all recovered bodies prior to releasing them to grieving family members. While local suspicions suggest the fire could have originated in the resort's kitchen area, formal investigations led by the fire service are actively underway to ascertain the exact ignition point and underlying electrical or structural failures.
