Fire at resort on Inani Beach, death toll rises to 10

The bodies of 10 people have been recovered in the incident of fire at Tuptup Resort and Restaurant in Inani of Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar. Several more people have been injured in this incident. The Fire Service has informed that the resort was being operated without the necessary approval and licence of the Fire Service.

Fire broke out at the wooden resort in the Patwarteck beach area adjacent to Marine Drive Road around 7:30am on Saturday (October 17). After receiving the news, two units of Ukhiya Fire Station went to the spot and started working to control the fire. Later a rescue operation was conducted there.

It has been learnt from Fire Service sources that after receiving the news of the fire at 7:25am, the two units set out for the spot and arrived there around 8am. Detailed information regarding how the fire started and how much damage has been caused could not be obtained immediately.

Director General of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Sultanul Afreen Junaid informed at a press conference at the headquarters of the organisation in Dhaka that Tuptup Resort was being operated without the necessary approval. The organisation also did not have a licence of the Fire Service.

He further informed that after inspection in last June the Fire Service had identified the resort as risky and given a cautionary notice. Even after that the organisation continued its activities.

On the other hand Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ukhiya Police Station Atikur Rahman has informed that work is ongoing to inquire into the cause of the fire. The actual cause of the fire and the related matters will be known in detail after the investigation is completed.

Alongside the rescue operation and investigation in the incident of the fire, questions have also arisen about the approval and security arrangements of the resort. How the organisation was continuing its activities without the necessary fire safety arrangements and licence is being examined.