Ten tourists killed in fire at wooden Cox's Bazar resort that lacked safety approval

Ten tourists died in a fire that destroyed a three-storey wooden resort at Patuartek beach in Inani, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Saturday morning. Six of the dead belonged to one family from the Dhaka area. The Tuptup Resort had no fire-safety licence and had received a notice after an inspection in June that identified it as risky.

The blaze started around 7.25–7.30 am. Firefighters reached the site by about 8 am and brought it under control within roughly two hours. Bodies were recovered from the structure, including from toilets on the upper floor. Six injured people were taken to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital. All victims were tourists. A five-member investigation committee has been formed; the cause is under examination, with suspicion that the fire began in the kitchen from a stove or LPG cylinder. Strong sea winds accelerated the spread through the bamboo-and-wood building.

Identified dead include Israt Jahan Maliha, 30; Milita Mehezabin Alvi, 23; Laila Jahan Nabila, 27; Nafista Mim, 27; Fariha Kabir, 33; and five-year-old Faizan Ahmed. Several others remain unidentified pending DNA tests. One survivor jumped from an upper floor. Two family members who had gone to the beach returned to find the resort engulfed. About 18–25 people were on the property at the time.

Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brigadier General Sultanul Afreen Junaid confirmed the resort operated without approval and had been warned. No extinguishers or alarms were present. The manager was detained for questioning. Border Guard Bangladesh assisted in the response. Deputy Commissioner A Mannan said the investigation would determine responsibility.

Cox’s Bazar is Bangladesh’s main beach destination. Many resorts along Marine Drive use lightweight materials that burn rapidly. The June inspection and subsequent notice indicate prior knowledge of the hazard. The rapid spread and high death toll among a single family group highlight the risks of unlicensed wooden structures in a high-wind coastal setting.

Relatives described the group as hours from returning to Dhaka after a short holiday. The combination of early-morning timing, wooden construction, absent safety equipment and wind produced a fire that firefighters could not contain before multiple fatalities. The inquiry will examine licensing, the June warning, kitchen equipment and emergency exits.