Unapproved Tuptup Resort, fire safety notice ignored: Fire Service

The Tuptup Resort that burnt in the fire on Inani Beach of Cox’s Bazar was being operated without the approval of any government agency. There was no necessary fire safety arrangement in the resort made of wood and hardboard. The organisation has informed that the notice given by the Fire Service in last June on this matter was also ignored.

Director General of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Sultanul Arefin Junaed informed these pieces of information at a press conference organised at the headquarters of the organisation in Fulbaria of the capital on Saturday (October 17).

He said that there was a restaurant on the ground floor of the resort. The fire started there during cooking. A notice had been given to the resort authorities in last June to ensure fire safety. However the activities of the resort were being carried out by ignoring that directive.

The Director General of the Fire Service informed that the firefighters had to struggle to bring the fire under control as the location of the resort was about 18 kilometres away from the Fire Service station.

He further said that the necessary fire safety arrangements are also not there in most of the eco resorts of the Inani area. Effective measures will be taken in coordination with the related government agencies including the Tourism Corporation to avoid such accidents in the future. Alongside an initiative will be taken to establish a fire station in the Inani Beach area.

It has been learnt from Fire Service sources that fire broke out at Tuptup Resort of Inani Beach at 7:25am on Saturday. After receiving the news two units of Ukhiya Fire Station arrived at the spot around 8am. The fire came under control at 8:15am.

Primarily the bodies of six people were recovered from the spot. Later the news of the death of four more people was received. A total of 10 people have died in this incident. Among them there are six members of the same family.