Death toll rises to 10 in Cox’s Bazar resort fire

The death toll in a devastating fire that swept through a tourist resort in Cox’s Bazar this morning has risen to 10.

The fire broke out at Tuptup Resort in Patuartek, near Inani Sea Beach, said Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, Deputy Assistant Director of Cox’s Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Talha bin Zasim, a media officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, told BSS that they received information about the fire around 7:25 am. The blaze was brought under complete control at 11:00 am.

He confirmed that 10 people died in the incident.

Morshed Hossain said the fire reduced the nine-room resort to ashes as it was made of wood.

However, he could not immediately confirm the exact number of casualties or provide further details about the injured.

He said the identities of six of the deceased had been confirmed as Israt Jahan Maliha, 30, and Milita Mehzabin Alvi, 23, from Banasree, Dhaka; Laila Jahan Nabila, 27, and Nafisa Mim, 27, from Khilgaon, Dhaka; and Fariha Kabir, 33, and Faizan Ahmed, 5, from Chuadanga.

Police confirmed that 16 tourists were staying in six rooms in the resort while five to six of them went out of the resort for roaming.

The identities and addresses of the remaining deceased and injured, as well as the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, could not be ascertained immediately, officials said.